Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“You won't forget me after the summer ends, right? Because I honestly don't think I can ever forget you.”

Jason smiled even as his heart clenched at the reminder that their time was running out. That they would both have to say goodbye, possibly forever. “I could never forget you, even if I wanted to.”

The sound of an alarm clock blaring woke Jason up from his dreams. Dreams of memories he wished so desperately to return to. Yet here he was, brought back to reality by his stupid alarm clock, reminding him it was not only the end of summer, but the first day of school. Groaning, he rolled over, shut it off, and got out of bed to begin getting ready for the long day ahead of him.

After getting dressed, throwing on his jacket, and grabbing his backpack Jason trudged his way downstairs. As he neared the kitchen, he heard fighting coming from the adjoining room, and rolled his eyes. Tim and Damian were up, it seemed.

“If you had just listened to me-"

“Why would I listen to you? You may think you know everything, Drake, but you don't. I know what’s best for my cat.”

Jason rounded the corner to see syrup all over the table, what looked to be egg in Tim’s hair, and a very angry looking cat sitting on top of the China cabinet. He sighed as he grabbed a piece of toast from the plate on the table. Somehow, it was the only thing saved from the syrup. “I don't even want to know,” he grumbled as he turned to leave his brothers to their bickering. He was stopped by Alfred.

“Leaving already, Master Jason?”

“Yeah, Alfie. It’s too early to deal with this fu- freaking mess,” Jason caught himself as Alfred raised an eyebrow. “Might as well just get to school early. First day and all.”

Alfred nodded as he walked over to begin cleaning up the mess Tim, Damian, and presumably Alfred- Damian’s hellish cat- had made. “Master Bruce will most likely be working late again tonight, Master Timothy is supposed to have a meeting at Wayne Enterprises later today, and I have errands to complete. Which means you’ll need to pick up young Master Damian from school.”

Jason was about to protest, but Damian did it for him. “I would rather walk home than get a ride from Todd. Him and his hooligan friends would reflect poorly on me.”

“People already know Bruce adopted him, genius,” Tim cut in. “They know you have some sort of relation to him, I doubt you have to worry about it ‘reflecting poorly’ on you.”

Damian scowled at Tim, probably about to start yet another fight, so Jason quickly excused himself. “Fine, I'll pick him up, but I really need to leave now. See you all later.” He gave a quick salute before stuffing the toast in his mouth, and heading for the garage.

As soon as he was on his motorcycle, heading for school, he let his mind drift. He wished it was still summer, when he felt free, almost in his own bubble. Where he didn’t have to worry about any pressures from his friends, family, school, the world at large. There wasn’t any reputation to uphold. The company wasn’t too bad either. Bright blue eyes, perfect smile, and tanned skin flashed through his mind, and he let himself get lost in them as he made his way to school.

As soon as he parked, and took his helmet off, there was an arm slung over his shoulders. “Hey there, Jaybird! Missed you over summer.”

Jason shrugged off the arm as he stepped off his bike. “I told you I was going with my family to Bruce’s summer home. It’s not my fault if you don't listen.” He rolled his eyes when Roy gave him an exaggerated hurt look.

“I totally listen! But I also missed my best friend! Sheesh, last time I miss you,” Roy responded as he started following Jason to the entrance of the school. “How was it though? All babysitting, or were you able to have some fun? Meet anyone interesting ?” He asked with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Snorting, Jason shook his head. “Something like that. Tim and Demon Spawn mostly tried to avoid each other, while Bruce worked. No surprise there. Alfred just looked fed up with everyone, but in his professional, butler way.”

“You fucking rich people, with your summer homes, and butlers. You know what I had to do over the summer? Work in Ollie’s shop! He said it ‘built character’ or something. Though, it wasn’t all bad. I'm spent some time with Wally.” He ignored the questioning look in Jason’s eyes as he nudged his shoulder. “But you never answered my question. What did you do?”

Once again, memories flashed through his head. Memories he didn’t necessarily want to share with Roy. Which shocked him because he shared almost everything with him. The thing was, he didn’t know how Roy would react, and he kind of didn’t want to find out. Being made fun of was not a very appealing idea. Besides, he had a reputation to uphold. Luckily, he was saved by Artemis walking up. “Hey, Artemis!” Jason called, ignoring the suspicious look Roy was giving him.

“Jason. Roy. You two hear about the new kid?” At Jason and Roy’s head shake, she explained, “Apparently, everyone’s freaking out about him. He’s seriously attractive. I haven’t seen him, but you would think by the way they’re talking, he’s the most handsome person in the world.”

Well, Jason knew that was a lie. No matter how good looking this new guy was, Jason had already met the most attractive person in the world over summer. He might have been exaggerating a bit with that, but he didn’t care. It seemed accurate to him at least.

“I can't wait to see this mystery guy for myself then! See what the competition looks like,” Roy said, which Artemis rolled her eyes at.

“Oh, please. To have competition, you have to be in the game in the first place,” Artemis replied, smirk playing on her lips.

Roy looked sad as he tugged on Jason’s arm. “I’m plenty attractive! Isn’t that right, Jay?”

Jason was lost in his thoughts so the tugging, and question were a bit jarring. “Huh? Oh, yeah sure.”

“See?” Roy stuck out his tongue at Artemis.

“He wasn’t even listening! And how old are you?”

Thankfully, their fighting was interrupted by the bell. Unfortunately, it continued soon after with Jason stuck in the middle all the way to first period.

---

Sighing, Dick tugged off his helmet as he stared at the school in front of him. Gotham High . He didn’t know the circus would be staying in Gotham city, but his family insisted he get a real high school experience. It did warm his heart that they were willing to stay here for him to go to school, but he also felt it was unnecessary. He didn’t want to stay in Gotham. Not only did he not like staying in one place for too long, but it reminded him too much of painful memories.

“Summer is ending soon. I'll be leaving again.” He didn’t look up. He didn’t want to see the pain he knew would be there. Didn’t need to see it since he was feeling the same way.

There was silence for a bit, prompting Dick to look up. He was met with a sad smile. “At least we'll have these memories, yeah?”

That hardly seemed to be helping now. He had accepted that they were leaving, but now he was staying. It was so unexpected, and he didn’t even know if Jason was still here, either. He now wished he had asked, but at the time, he didn’t want to know. He just wanted to accept the fact that he would never see him again, and move on. But when had life ever cared about what he wanted.

Finally, he got off his bike, and shrugged his backpack higher up on his shoulders. He needed to forget about the past. This should be a new, and exciting experience. One he would face head on. Finding a new determination with that, he plastered on his most charming smile and began making his way to the front of the school.

Ignoring the stares, and whispers, he finally arrived at the student services desk. “Hi, I’m new here, and I-"

The girl at the desk looked up and smiled. “You’re Richard Grayson, right? I heard we were getting a new student today. I'm Kori.” Standing up, she offered a hand out to Dick.

“Nice to meet you, Kori,” he replied, shaking her hand. “And you can just call me Dick.” He was grateful she didn’t say anything about his name as he dropped her hand. “No offense, but you look a little young to be part of the faculty here.”

“That would be because I'm a student. I just volunteer here in my spare time.” She sat back down, and grabbed out a few papers. “I’ll need you to sign these, and I'll get you your schedule.” She handed him the papers before pulling out the schedule and examining it. “Looks like we have some of the same classes, which gives me an excuse to show you around,” she said, looking up at him with a friendly smile.

After he finished signing the papers, he returned the smile. Kori was beautiful, and seemed nice. He did say he wanted to move on from Jason, right? “I’m fine with that. It gives me an excuse to get to know you better,” he responded with a wink.

Playfully rolling her eyes, she stood up and walked around the desk, motioning for him to follow her. “Slow it down, I'm already dating someone.”

That was unfortunate, but there was still a full school of people. He was sure to meet someone that would help get his mind off of something he would never have again. Ignoring the sting that brought about, he offered Kori a smile and shrugged. “Worth a shot. So, where we headed?”

Kori ended up showing him where the classes they didn’t share were, but promised she would meet up with him in case he forgot. Right as she finished up her little tour, the bell rung so they quickly made their way to first period.

---

Lunch came quickly, which was nice. What wasn’t so nice was Jason’s friends bugging him about his summer. Especially since he knew it was all Roy’s fault they were asking, since he told them all Jason was being secretive over what happened. He really hated Roy sometimes.

“What are you trying to hide from us, Jay?” Roy asked, leaning into Jason’s face.

Jason pushed him away. “It really isn’t any of your business.”

Artemis raised an eyebrow as she ate a fry. “He does have a point though. Why not just tell us?” Even Raven looked slightly interested, even though she barely glanced up from her book.

“Yeah, it’s not like you to keep things from us.”

Jason was about to respond to Raven, but Conner stole one of Artemis’s fries and said, “You usually brag about all of your conquests, even when we don’t ask.” He sent Jason a pointed look before eating his fry.

Focusing on Conner, Jason said, “Hey, Tim wanted me to ask if you wanted to come over this weekend.”

Glaring at the smirk, Conner rolled his eyes. “I still don’t know why you think there’s something between us,” he muttered as he took a drink of his soda.

“Maybe because there totally is something, but this isn’t about you right now, Kon.” Roy turned his gaze back to Jason. “Stop trying to change the subject, Jay. Are you not telling us because, what, you fell in love or something?” That thought made him laugh as he stood up on the bleachers. Batting his eyelashes, he put his hand over his heart. “Our wittle Jaybird is in wuv, you guys.”

This was exactly what Jason was afraid of. He couldn’t handle this the rest of the semester, so he groaned and tugged Roy down. “Fine, I’ll tell you. God forbid I just want to keep something to myself for once.”

“Yeah, that’s why this is worrying. Now go on, tell your tale,” Roy said dramatically as he settled back on the bleachers.

Jason ignored him as he planned what he was going to say, knowing he would need to change some details around. “It was kind of a blast. I met this guy that was basically crazy for me.” His usual confident smirk grew on his face.

“Makes sense. Did you get very far with him?” Roy wiggled his eyebrows causing Jason to chuckle.

“Listen to the story, and find out. I thought that’s what you wanted?” As Roy quieted down again and nodded for him to continue, Jason said, “So basically, he was swimming by me, ended up getting a cramp and almost drowning. I saved his life and it kind of escalated from there. Spending time with him, making out under the dock.” He paused before adding with a grin, “Getting friendly in the sand.”

Conner groaned before narrowing his eyes at Roy. “You just had to push for the story.”

Roy laughed as he playfully hit Jason’s shoulder. “There’s the Jaybird I know and love!”

“Love would be too strong a word, and one I definitely would not use,” Artemis said, taking a drink from her shake.

Getting mock offended on Jason’s behalf, Roy gasped. “How could you say that about him!?”

Jason missed whatever was said next as he stared off across the football field. He was sure they were bickering now, while Conner was trying to get them to stop. He still wasn’t really paying attention though as his thoughts drifted to Dick. They said they would stay friends, but he didn’t even know if he’d see him again. He wondered where he was, what he was doing.

Little did he know, Dick was across campus, sitting down at an outside lunch table with Kori and her friends. When they sat down, three redheads looked up. So, he was now surrounded by redheads. He was more than okay with that.

Kori took to introductions. “Dick, this is Wally, Megan, and Barbara. Guys, this is Dick.”

Wally and Megan gasped. “You’re the new kid! And the rumours were underrated if anything. I mean, wow,” Wally said, blatantly checking him out.

Used to this kind of attention, Dick just slipped into his flirty persona. “You don’t look too bad yourself,” he said with a smirk.

As Wally smiled back, Kori scoffed. “You are just a flirt, aren’t you? He is also dating someone, you know.”

Before Dick could defend himself- or complain that yet another attractive redhead was taken- Megan said, “Can you blame him? Look at him, Kori!” She sighed wistfully. “You probably had such a romantic summer.”

Dick’s smile faltered as he remembered his summer. It seemed like he just couldn’t escape it. Barbara noticed the falter. “What happened over summer? Seems like you aren’t too keen on remembering it,” she said as she stared at Dick with a sharp gaze that seemed to see right through him.

“That’s not it. I loved my summer! It just… went by so fast it seems.” His smile turned more longing.

“Obviously, now you have to tell us more!” Megan exclaimed as she leaned forward.

Looking around the table, he saw Wally and Megan were watching at him with eager looks, and even Kori and Barbara looked curious so he continued, “Well, there was this really cute guy. We met because he was trying to show off to me.” He chuckled as he remembered how much of a dork Jason could be. “Somehow it worked because I agreed to hang out with him. Which we did, spent the rest of summer together.”

“Was it love at first sight?” Megan asked, eyes bright with hopefulness.

“Come on, Meg. Ask the important questions, like did he have a car?” Wally asked with a grin.

Kori rolled her eyes as she said, “Please, you’re both wrong. How much money did he spend is the real question to ask.”

Dick laughed. “I don’t think it was love at first sight, though he was definitely handsome. He didn’t have a car, but he did have a motorcycle. And I didn’t keep track of how much he spent. I tried to pay for some things, but he kept insisting. I was just as stubborn though, which annoyed him.”

Humming, Barbara finished a bite of her sandwich before shrugging. “He sounds like a drag.”

“Aw, Babs! Where’s your sense of romance ?” Megan elbowed her lightly with a smile.

Barbara just rolled her eyes. “So, who was this mystery guy?”

“Jason Todd.”

That made everyone at the table hesitate and glance at each other. “No freaking way,” Wally whispered in awe with wide eyes.

Dick looked around at them, worried he had said something wrong. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing! Nothing, we just thought we recognized the name, is all.” Barbara said as the bell rang. “What class do you have next?”

Still suspicious as to what was happening, Dick pulled out his schedule. “Um, geography.”

“Cool, Megan and I have that too. We’ll walk you.” Wally wasn’t entirely sure what Barbara’s plan was, but he recognized the look she gave them. “Come on, don’t want to be late.”

As Wally and Megan dragged Dick off to class, Kori turned to Barbara. “What are you planning?”

“I’m going to reunite two young lovebirds.” At Kori’s expression, she sighed. “Don’t give me that look. You know he deserves to know how Jason really is. This is for his sake.”

“He’s really not that bad-"

“Don’t start with this again, Kori. The whole school knows what he’s like. Dick deserves to know too.” With that, she walked off, leaving no room for discussion. Kori sighed before begrudgingly following.

Chapter Text

Once it was his free period, Dick was a bit lost on where to go. Kori wasn’t waiting for him, and he still wasn’t entirely familiar with the school. He ended up wandering randomly around, trying to memorize the school hallways so he didn’t have to rely on any of his friends. At least, they seemed like his friends. He stopped as he came across a signup sheet for cheerleading tryouts. He wasn’t planning on joining any clubs, or extracurricular activities, but cheerleading could actually be fun. He was also fairly certain he would get on it no problem, thanks to his acrobatic skills.

Figuring he had nothing to lose, Dick quickly changed in the locker rooms into some workout clothes, before jogging out to the field. Once he got out there, he stood next to the other people trying out, antsy with anticipation.

He easily made the team, the cheerleaders impressed with his moves, and now he had a fun activity in his senior year. If his family wanted him to have an enjoyable high school experience, extracurriculars like this would probably be a good step towards that. He was still riding on his high as he left his final class for the day, and ran right into Barbara, Megan, and Wally. He immediately told them the good news as they left the school building.

“Cheerleading?!” Wally asked. Well, more like yelled.

Megan rolled her eyes, sending an amused look towards Dick. “Don’t listen to him. He’s just bitter he didn’t get on the cheer team last year.”

“I am not . I just think he could do better than those snobby cheerleaders.” Wally crossed his arms with an annoyed expression that looked dangerously close to a pout. “Besides, you were on the cheer team! You could have put in a good word for me.”

‘ Bitter ’ Megan mouthed to Dick before giving Wally a polite smile. “You said you didn’t need help. That you could impress them- and I quote- with your ‘mad skills.’”

Wally glared at her, and opened his mouth to respond before Barbara cut in. “Enough you two. If Dickie here wants to join the cheer team, we’re going to support him.”

“Thanks, Babs,” Dick said, relief and gratitude coloring his voice.

Humming, she gave him an assessing gaze. “That means you’ll be at the pep rally Friday night.” At Dick’s nod, she continued, “Then we’ll be out there to support you.” She held up a hand to stop Wally’s protest. “Dick is our friend now. We support friends, don’t we?” Giving Megan and Wally pointed looks, she turned on her heel to head to the parking lot. “Good luck during practice today, Dick,” she called out over her shoulder.

“Where are you going?” Megan yelled after her.

Just putting the next piece into place , she thought as she continued to walk without a backwards glance.

---

Jason was straddling his bike, about to take off to pick up the demon from school, but he was stopped by his name being called. He looked up, helmet in hand, pausing in putting it on. A charming smile formed as he said, “Ah, Babs! To what do I owe the pleasure?”

She narrowed her eyes at him before getting straight to the point. “Are you going to the pep rally on Friday?”

“Aw, you want to spend time with me? You could have just asked, you know I can’t deny you.” He looked at her with a smirk that most would describe as sexy, along with a smoldering look in his eyes.

Barbara just rolled her eyes. “Cut the crap, Jason. Are you going or not?”

His smirk fell as a wary gaze took over. “Why?”

“I have a friend you would probably like to meet.”

And the smirk was back. “Are they cute?”

“Just be there, and find out.” She gave a smile of her own before turning and walking away.

Jason watched her go before shaking his head, putting his helmet on, and peeling out of the parking lot. On the fifteen minute drive to Damian’s school, he let his thoughts drift. He knew Barbara didn’t like him. A lot of people didn’t. Usually because of the stupid act he had to put on. It was terrible, and he hated it, but it wasn’t until he gave into the tough guy, playboy, I don’t give a fuck attitude that people seemed to like him. Respect him. Occasionally fear him. He believed it’s what made him the leader of the T-Birds and he couldn’t lose that now. Besides, it was easy to fit into. It was the attitude he gave off when he was still on his own, before Bruce took him in. So, even if it gave him a bad reputation, that was just one small downside. One he could easily overlook.

As he pulled up in front of Damian’s school, he decided he wouldn’t let Barbara get to him. He could handle her, and whatever she threw at him. He hoped at least. Taking off his helmet, he grinned and waved at Damian who sneered as he approached.

“Todd. You’re late.”

“By like ten seconds! I got caught up in a conversation, it’s a fifteen minute drive-”

“I don’t care,” Damian scowled before carefully settling in behind Jason. “Let’s go before I'm seen with you.”

Jason looked around at the kids that were staring at him with wide eyes. “Think it’s too late for that.” He laughed before handing Damian his helmet. “Put it on. I don't want Bruce getting mad at me if you crack your skull, or something.”

“If you drive well enough, that won’t be a problem, now will it?” He still took the helmet with a disgusted look before putting it on. “My driving is perfectly fine! I just care about my darling brother’s safety.” At Damian’s scoff, he grinned wider, told him to hold on tight, and sped out of the parking lot.

Chapter Text

Once Friday night came, Jason was in his room, reading. He actually enjoyed literature, he just didn’t let anyone know that. Except Dick, but he always had some uncanny ability to get Jason to tell him anything, and everything about him. It would have been worrying, but Dick was with the circus so he was off gallivanting in some other part of the world, taking that little piece of Jason with him.

And on that cheesy thought, he tried to go back to his book, but he was interrupted by a knock at his door, and Alfred poking his head in. “Master Roy is downstairs in the foyer, waiting for you.”

Jason nodded, closing his book before standing up from his desk, grabbing his jacket, and following Alfred downstairs. As they got closer, the voices echoing from the foyer were so loud, Jason was surprised he didn’t hear the noise from his room.

“So, I can’t touch this?”

“For the last time, Harper. Don’t. Touch. Anything .”

As they rounded the corner, he saw Roy standing by a vase, holding his hand out with an exaggerated innocent look, even batting his fucking eyelashes. Damian looked unamused, scowling from an armchair with Titus at his feet, and Alfred across his shoulders.

Roy spotted Jason first, a wide grin forming. “Jay! I was wondering when you would get here. Your brother is saying I can’t be ‘trusted’ around your ‘antiques.’”

Jason looked over at Damian before shrugging and turning back to Roy. “I hate to agree with him, but he’s right. You can’t.”

Pouting, Roy stuffed his hands in his pockets, and looked like a wounded puppy. “That hurts, Jaybird. You have betrayed me.”

Damian rolled his eyes. “Todd, get your hoodlum friend out of here before he accidentally breaks something.”

“Excuse you. If I broke something, it would be on purpose, during an act of rebellion.” Roy looked proud at that, but once again Damian was unimpressed.

“Todd, I will end up breaking one of his arms if you don’t get him out of here.” Alfred gave him a disapproving look, but he just scoffed and crossed his arms.

Sighing, Jason pulled at Roy’s arm. “Come on, we do need to leave. Babs said she had someone she wanted me to meet. You know how she is about making her wait.”

“But you know how I am about wanting to be fashionably late.” Even as he said that, he began moving towards the front door. He didn’t really feel like facing Barbara’s wrath. “Besides, why are we going to a stupid pep rally anyway? And you know Babs hates us. It’s probably a trap of some sort.”

Jason had thought of that, but he figured best to face whatever Barbara had planned now, rather than make her mad and probably face something so much worse. “I told you, you didn’t have to come. You insisted saying you wanted to see some drama, so you can't blame this on me,” he said as he opened the door, gave one final wave to Alfred, and walked out, Roy following.

“Huh, I could have sworn I said I would go to be your backup. Curse my want to be honest, and open!” He said dramatically as they approached his car.

Jason would have responded, but he was temporarily dumbfounded by the car in front of him. “What the hell is this piece of shit?” It looked old , and Jason didn’t entirely have faith that the car would even start. It seemed on the verge of falling apart, but Roy still looked offended.

“I’ll have you know this is a 1948 Ford Deluxe! Brought her myself with the money I made working for Ollie over the summer.” He patted the side of the car, which caused it to groan and creak. It was not reassuring.

Eyeing it warily, Jason said, “Are you sure this thing is safe to drive?”

“Of course! Drive her all the time. She’s very reliable,” Roy answered as he hopped in the car, once again causing another creak. “I do hope to upgrade and restore her soon though. Hopefully with your help?”

“And by help, I'm guessing you mean I do all the work?”

“You got it!” Roy enthusiastically responded. “Now, come on! I thought you were worried about being late?”

Jason was almost positive he was going to regret this, but he took a few more deep breaths before finally getting into the old clunker.

As the car sputtered to life, Roy rolled his eyes. “You'll be fine, you drama queen.” He laughed as Jason glared at him, and pulled out of the driveway.

---

How long did pep rallies last? Jason was pretty sure at this point, the correct answer had to be years . There was only so many of Roy’s stories he could take in one sitting. He was on his second cigarette, hoping it would calm his nerves. Drumming his fingers against the car door, Jason checked his watch for the fifth time in as many minutes as Roy continued talking. The pep rally should have ended by now.

“So, at this point, I'm totally thinking the cops are gonna get me, right? But then Artemis did this super cool move where she like rode in on her motorcycle, whipped off her helmet, her hair just flying everywhere.” Roy leaned back as he shook his head with a wide smile. “You miss out on some crazy shit when you leave, Jaybird.”

Jason nodded before finally spotting Barbara walking towards them, off the field. He quickly hopped out of the car, put out his cigarette, shoved his hands in his pockets, and met her halfway. “Babs, may I just say you’re looking as radiant as ever.”

“Uh huh.” She glanced behind her, noticing Wally, Megan, and Kori drag a laughing Dick closer to where she was standing with Jason. A smirk grew as she turned back around. As they got closer, she said, “May I introduce to you, the new kid at Gotham High, Dick Grayson.” She stepped aside and shoved Dick forward.

He looked surprised, glancing back at Barbara, before turning back around, shock growing. “ Jason!? ”

“ Dick? ”

Roy joined the group with wide eyes. “You two know each other?”

“He’s a guy I met over summer,” Jason answered Roy’s question, eyes never leaving Dick’s face. “Why are you here? I thought you were with-” He cut himself off, remembering how sensitive Dick was about letting people know about his family. “I thought you left after summer?” He eventually said instead.

Dick’s eyes were lit up so bright with joy, and wonder, especially after Jason caught himself from telling everyone he was in the circus. “My family decided I should get a real high school experience. I can’t believe it’s really you, Little Wing.”

Jason had loved that nickname. Dick had teasingly called him that after he told him how Roy called him Jaybird.

“Well, if we’re going with bird nicknames, should I call you Little Wing? I feel like I'm teaching you so much, and I am older than you, you know,” Dick said as he stepped closer, sounds of the waves crashing against the shore providing a nice ambient sound. The sunset seemed to be reflected in his eyes, but Jason refused to let himself get distracted.

“You’re only older by a few months. It doesn't mean anything. And you are not teaching me. If anything, I'm teaching you here, pretty bird.” Jason crossed his arms as he grinned broadly at Dick.

“Really?” Dick asked, tilting his head. “I should work on changing that then.”

Jason had loved it because it was his, and only Dick used it. It was special, made him feel like Dick- beautiful, gorgeous, amazing, wonderful Dick fucking Grayson- wanted Jason of all people. Now though, it just brought him shame and embarrassment as Roy and Wally laughed at the nickname, while Kori and Megan lightly giggled. Even Barbara had an amused smirk. That made Jason panic. This wasn’t summer. It wasn’t just him and Dick on the beach. He was back in school, around his friends, his peers. He wouldn't let his reputation slip like this. Not after he’d worked so hard to build it up. A lazy grin appeared on his face, as he forced his gaze to go cold, eyes roaming up and down Dick’s body.

“Hm, you know, I didn’t fully recognize you before. It was kind of hard to remember, given the crazy summer I had.” Dick’s face fell a bit, as confusion took over. “I should have remembered that body though. Yours was the best, after all.”

Hurt joined in with his confusion. “Jay, what… what are you saying?”

Jason laughed, but it was a cold, bitter thing. “What, you thought you were special? Oh, that’s adorable.”

Slinging his arm over Jason’s shoulders, Roy smirked at Dick. “Jaybird here told us all about you though, if that makes you feel any better.”

Dick looked alarmed, wondering what exactly Jason had told his friends. He focused on Jason though as he felt his eyes start tear up. He refused to let them fall as his eyes narrowed. “You told me you would never forget me. That you could only feel like yourself around me.”

“And you actually fell for that!?” Jason looked at him in disbelief, trying to ignore the way his heart felt like it was slowly breaking as he saw the pain, and sorrow in Dick’s eyes. He should have gone into acting; he would have been great. His words almost came out automatically at this point, he wasn’t even fully registering them. “Wow, you are way more pathetic than I thought. You were good fun, Dickie. Nothing more. Though, if you ever want to meet up again, just let me know.” He plastered on a wolfish grin that he hoped looked believable as he winked at Dick.

“You were supposed to be different.” There was a slight tremor to his voice as he fought to choke back tears. “You looked beyond… beyond everything and focused on me . Just me. Not my looks, not my heritage, not my family; me . I trusted you, Jason. I-" Loved you. “I thought you trusted me too.”

Snorting, Jason rolled his eyes. “Looks like you missed the mark on that one, pretty bird.”

Gritting his teeth, Dick clenched his fist before hitting Jason square in the jaw. “You’re a fucking asshole,” he ground out before turning on his heel and stalking off. Kori gave Jason a disappointed look before quickly following after Dick with Megan and Wally. Barbara sarcastically clapped causing Jason to glare at her.

“Well done, Jason! Showed him your true colors. It’s good to be honest with yourself, and with others. Fully embrace it.” She gave him one final look before following after the rest of her group.

There was silence for a few seconds before Roy patted his shoulder and moved away. “Well. That was fun! Let’s go get some food, huh? I'm starving.” He started walking back to his car but he stopped as he noticed Jason wasn’t following. “Jay?”

Jason was staring at nothing in particular. His jaw was pounding, his heart was breaking, and he felt all around miserable. He had to put on a smile though as he turned back around to Roy. “Never better. Jaw just hurts like a bitch, you know?”

“Yeah, he did a real number on you. It’s not the first time you’ve taken a hit though. We'll just get some ice on it and you’ll be right as rain!” Roy started walking over towards his car again, this time with Jason following. They were surprised however to find Conner, leaning against the hood. He nodded when he saw them.

“This car is a real piece of shit, Roy.”

Roy waved his hand dismissively. “I heard enough about it from Jaybird over here.”

Conner looked over at Jason, letting out a low whistle at his pink, slightly swollen jaw. It looked like it was already darkening. “What happened to you?”

“Lover’s quarrel,” Jason responded. “I’m sure Roy will be more than happy to fill you in later. What are you doing here, Kon? A bit late for the pep rally, don't you think?”

Face turning grim, Conner averted his gaze. “The Jokers challenged us to another street race.”

“Oh, no. No, no, no! The last time we had a street race with those guys, they almost killed us!” Roy adamantly shook his head. “I want to live past twenty, thanks.”

Whether it was his self-destructive tendencies, his state of distress, or just a need for something to focus on other than the look in Dick’s eyes when he broke his heart, Jason disagreed with Roy. “We’re going to challenge them, and we’re going to beat them. Show them once and for all we aren’t to be fucked with.”

“Great there, Jaybird. Real great. Only one problem though, what exactly are we supposed to use as a car?” Roy asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Jason patted the side of Roy’s car, causing another creak to sound. “This.”

“Uh, Jay? Do you have a concussion, or are you just blind. This car is a piece of junk!” Conner stared at Jason with a bewildered look, waiting for an explanation.

Even Roy agreed. “Yeah, I may love her, but if we take her in for the race, we’re sure to lose. And probably die.”

“That’s why we fix her up. We have time.”

Conner and Roy still looked skeptical. “I don’t know,” Conner said. “There’s a lot to fix here.”

“I’m sure we can get some extra resources from Tim.” He knew he had Conner from the way his head rose up slightly higher, clearly interested.

Roy seemed to notice this too as he sighed, and relented. “Fine. But if we all die, let it be known I was against this whole thing from the start.”

“Your grievances have been heard, and will now be promptly ignored.” Jason laughed at Roy’s pout, even though it hurt his jaw as he hopped back in the car, completely ready to forget this night had ever happened.

---

“Dick, wait up!”

He didn’t want to stop. He couldn’t stop. As soon as he did, his thoughts and emotions would catch up with him, and he was trying his hardest to escape them. He didn’t get much of a choice though as he was yanked to a stop by someone grabbing his arm.

“Please, just talk to us,” Kori pleaded, trying to get Dick to look at her.

“There’s nothing to talk about! You were all there, you saw what happened. I made a fool of myself, and Jason- he… he…” He shut his eyes as he remembered the cold, uncaring look on Jason’s face. Like he didn’t care at all. Like he couldn’t care less about Dick. He reopened his eyes which were glistening with tears. “I don’t matter to him. Our whole relationship didn’t matter to him. And it’s horrible because it meant everything to me.”

Kori wrapped Dick up in a hug. “Jason acts like a tough guy for some reason. I'm sure it meant something to him, he just doesn’t want to admit it.”

“But why?” Dick asked, hugging Kori back tightly as a tear fell down his cheek. “Am I not good enough for him?” It shouldn’t be surprising, really. Who would want to date a circus freak?

Wally scoffed, crossing his arms. “The guy is just an idiot. If anything, he isn’t good enough for you . You seem like a good person, Dick. And Jason… well, Jason’s not exactly the best.”

“Always getting into fights, vandalizing things, and getting involved with people, just to leave them once he’s bored. I think he even put a person in the hospital once,” Megan explained before giving Dick a small smile. “You might have dodged a bullet, honestly.”

Pulling back from Kori, Dick looked between Megan and Wally. Everything they said didn’t line up with the Jason he had met over summer. Jason was always nice, kind, and caring. The only fight he had gotten into was when they had gotten some not so nice comments at the beach. And all he really did was scare the guy. He had run off before Jason could do much else. It just didn’t make sense to him. Why was Jason so different now? He shook his head; he shouldn’t care about this. Jason obviously didn’t, so he shouldn’t either. He just had to accept that this was the real Jason Todd, and he had been played, probably since the beginning. His heart broke a bit more at that thought.

Before he could agree with Megan, Barbara rejoined them. “Why are you still talking about Jason? He’s not worth it.” She looked at Dick with soft eyes. “I’m sorry it had to go down like this, but you deserved to know what he was really like.”

Dick nodded, giving her a smile that was really just a upwards tick of his lips. “Thanks, Babs. I was just stupid. I should have known better.”

“You couldn’t have known. It’s not your fault.” She grabbed his shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. “We were all going to Kori’s for a sleepover. Want to come?”

“Oh dude, you totally should! It’s going to be awesome!” Wally said with a grin.

“And we promise, no talk about Jason,” Megan added.

Wally agreed enthusiastically. “Definitely. Jason who? See? Already forgot him.”

Kori playfully pushed him as Dick let out a light laugh. “Sure, okay.” A distraction from this awful night was more than welcomed.

Chapter Text

The ‘No talking about Jason’ promise was broken pretty quickly into the sleepover. It would have been annoying if Dick didn’t feel like ranting.

“I just don’t understand. He’s a totally different person now.”

They were currently sitting in Kori’s room. Wally was painting Megan’s nails, Kori was playing with Dick’s hair, and Barbara was on the bed, flipping through a magazine.

“What I don’t understand is how you kissed a smoker. I heard it isn’t the best,” Wally said, not looking up from Megan’s nails.

Dick shrugged. “He never tasted or smelled like cigarettes. If anything, it was usually cinnamon. He said I always tasted like mint when he kissed me.” He lowered his gaze as a nostalgic feeling washed over him. Why did Jason have to be such an asshole after he was so sweet over summer?

Rolling her eyes, Barbara looked up from her magazine. “He probably just chewed some gum or something. That’s probably what you did too, right? So you two wouldn’t taste cigarettes or alcohol.”

“I’ve never had a cigarette, and I've only had like one glass of champagne at a party, so no?”

At that, Barbara looked surprised. “Jason didn’t pressure you at all?”

“Yeah, smoking and drinking kind of add to his image. It’s what he does,” Megan added. “I’m shocked he didn't at least try to get you to join him.”

“Jay never pressured me into anything.” He had always checked with Dick to make sure he was alright. That they weren’t moving too fast, or doing something he wasn’t comfortable with. That couldn’t have all been an act.

“Well, I’m just surprised you’ve never had a drink outside of champagne. Smoking, fine. But drinking can be fun, especially when hanging out with friends.” Wally blew on Megan’s nails before looking up. “That’s something we should change.”

“Oh no, I don’t think we need to-”

Kori was already standing up and opening her door. “We just got some dessert wine that is delicious! I'll be right back.” And with that, she left only to return a few moments later with a bottle of wine in her hand. She handed it to Wally who took a swig of it.

“Fine choice in wine, Kori! Sweet with some fruity undertones,” he said before passing the bottle off to Megan.

“Okay, slow it down there. You aren’t a wine critic.” Kori flicked his forehead before sitting back down next to Dick, and resumed playing with his hair.

That made Wally speak in a terrible British accent as he said, “Wallace West. Wine Critic extraordinaire!” He went back to his normal voice as he continued. “Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?”

“Not really,” Barbara told him before taking a drink from the bottle Megan passed to her.

“That hurt, Babs.” He grasped at his heart as he pouted at her, which earned him a laugh.

Looking over at Dick, she held out the bottle. “You wanna try some?”

Dick eyed the bottle warily. He didn’t necessarily want to drink. He wasn’t entirely sure how it would affect him, and he didn’t want to return home hungover tomorrow. At this point though, he couldn’t bring himself to care. His heart still felt like it was crumbling, and maybe this would help take the edge off. Before he could regret the action, he grabbed the bottle, and took a huge gulp of it. Unfortunately, he wasn’t entirely prepared for the bitter taste, and had to work to not splutter it all back out.

“You weren’t supposed to take that big of a drink, Dick.” As she took the bottle away from him, Kori gave him a concerned look.

Coughing a few times, Dick shook his head. “Yeah, I got that now.”

“Oh, man! That was awesome!” Wally laughed while Dick glared at him through his teary eyes.

“So, if you haven’t smoked, and that was your first real drink, what else haven’t you done?” Megan gasped as a thought occurred to her. “Was Jason your first boyfriend?”

“Oh, come on, Meg. You've seen how much the guy flirts. He’s had to have tons of past partners, right Dickie?” Wally looked at him expectantly.

Dick stayed quiet though. Jason was his first real boyfriend. Sure, he had people hit on him before, and he would flirt back. But he never actually had a relationship before. Besides that, once most people found out he was in the circus, they didn’t want to pursue him any further. Jason was the first person that didn't care. That’s part of why it stung so badly. With a quiet ‘excuse me’ he stood up, and left the room. He needed some air.

Once the door was shut behind him, Barbara narrowed his eyes. “He’s hiding something from us.”

“What makes you say that?” Kori asked, picking up Barbara’s forgotten magazine to peruse it.

“He doesn’t drink. He doesn’t smoke. He flirts with everyone, yet is super innocent. And naive if he fell for Jason.”

“He also acts like this is his first time at an actual high school.” Wally was starting to get suspicious too as he glanced at the door as if Dick was still there.

Megan glanced over as well, nodding. “And did you hear the way Jason cut himself off earlier? Like he was going to say something, reveal something about Dick that he doesn't want people to know.”

Kori rolled her eyes as she looked at her friends with exasperated looks. “Come on, guys. Dick isn't hiding anything. And even if he is, it's not our place to pry.”

“As his friends, it’s totally our place to pry. Especially if he’s hiding something from us,” Wally pointed out.

“Yeah, I'm pretty sure he’s putting on some kind of act.” Barbara batted her eyelashes. “‘Look at me, I'm just lil ole Dickie G. Aren’t I just precious with my flirting? But oh! I'm actually innocent, and inexperienced even though I'm a senior in high school!’” She shook her head. “There’s something up with him. And we should figure it out.”

Wally and Megan wholeheartedly agreed, but Kori still looked skeptical. Barbara liked to solve things, figure things out. And she was more than capable of accomplishing that. Kori was just worried about Dick getting hurt in the process.

While all of that was going on inside, Dick was in the backyard, staring at the night sky. He always liked looking up at the stars. It reminded him of nights with his parents after performances, having a bonfire with the rest of his family, and telling stories. After they died, the nights became a bit more solemn, but they still filled him with warmth, and happiness, even when it was obvious there were two people missing. Recently though, the night sky reminded him of nights with Jason.

Dick leaned into Jason, resting his head on his shoulder as he pointed out another constellation. “There’s Orion. Pretty easy to spot if you just look for his belt first."

Chuckling, Jason snaked an arm around Dick’s waist, pulling the blanket around them tighter. “How do you know so much about this?”

“My parents used to tell me stories.” He looked over to see intense turquoise eyes staring back at him, the stars reflected in them. Dick felt a smile form at the sight. “And now I get to pass them on to you.”

“I’m honored then, Dickie.” Jason leaned in, giving him a soft kiss that tasted of the sea air around them. Dick sighed into it, focusing on the emotions of it, how their lips were moving together. All too soon though, Jason was pulling back with a smile. “Can’t get too lost in that, pretty bird. You have more stories to tell, don’t you?”

Dick wanted to capture the look on Jason’s face forever. The gentle, warm smile, the honest curiosity shining in his eyes, and just the overall affection and love in his expression made Dick want to melt. He pressed another quick kiss to his lips before settling back in against his side, head resting under his chin. “That one is Cassiopeia. She was a vain queen in Greek mythology…”

Huffing a breath, Dick shook himself of his thoughts, and made his way over to the large oak tree standing tall at the edge of the yard. He leaned his back against it, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes. He knew that his heart wasn’t the first broken, that others had cried as he wanted to now. Probably even over Jason. But that didn’t stop him from knowing that he also couldn’t easily get over him. Maybe he would never get over him. That thought made him slide down the tree until he was sitting on the ground. He brought his knees up to his chest, and rested his chin on them as he felt tears slip out.

He knew it was stupid of him, but he was actually willing to give Jason a second chance. Of course he would make him work for it, but he could honestly see himself forgiving him. Being with him. Loving him. He just didn't want anyone else, not when he had Jason.

Logically, in his head, he knew he needed to move on. Forget entirely about their relationship, the summer they spent together, all of it, especially after Jason seemed to so easily push it aside. But he couldn’t. And he knew in the end, he wouldn’t. He would hold onto the bitter end. Hold onto the hope that he could reach the real Jason. The one he met over summer. Because he knew that whatever the version was he saw tonight,  that wasn’t the real one. He had to be going crazy, completely out of his mind. But he couldn’t help it. He was hopelessly devoted to the guy. He just hoped it didn’t end in complete disaster.

Eventually, Dick made his way back inside. No one commented on his absence, which he was thankful for, but he couldn’t help but feel everyone was giving him suspicious stares when he  wasn’t looking. Just as he had enough of it though, and was about to comment on it, there was a honk from outside.

Chapter Text

Jason looked at the house, confused before turning back to Roy. “Uh, this isn't the manor, Roy.”

“Yes, Jaybird. I have eyes. I can see that.” Roy rolled his eyes like Jason had no right to be confused.

Behind them, they heard Conner pull up, shut off his bike, and walk up next to the car, leaning against it. “What are we doing at Kori’s?”

So, this was Kori’s house. Jason thought it looked familiar, but now he was just even more confused. They had gone to the diner, and made plans to split up the work on Roy’s car to make it race worthy. After that, they agreed to go to the manor to crash, and get up early to start work on the car. Apparently, Roy now had different plans.

“I knew if I brought it up earlier, you two would be annoyed but… I kind of made plans with Wally tonight.” Roy gave them a sheepish grin as he gave a weak shrug.

“You brought us to your booty call?!” Jason incredulously asked while Conner shook his head.

“That’s not what this is!” Roy glared at both of them. “I didn't know we were going to have that street race thing! I thought I would end up just taking you home, then swing back, but then you said we should spend the night at the manor, Conner showed up, and I just didn't know when to bring it up.”

Raising an eyebrow, Jason stared at Roy. “Okay, then cancel now. Plans change, don't they?”

Roy bit his lip as a nervousness overtook his features. “I can’t. We have to seriously plan out when we can meet. This may be our only chance for a while. His dad sort of doesn’t approve.”

“Oh.” Jason’s expression softened as he saw the pleading look in Roy’s eyes. “Is it the T-Birds thing, or…?” He trailed off, trusting Roy knew what he was asking.

“Both.”

Sharing a look, Jason and Conner both slumped slightly in defeat. As soon as Roy saw that, he grinned and honked the horn. Almost immediately, the upstairs window opened and a head popped out. Barbara leaned against the windowsill as she called out, “Who invited you three?”

“We invited ourselves obviously,” Jason scoffed back, hopping out of the car.

Hearing Jason’s voice, Dick dropped to the floor like Jason could see him. He knew he looked ridiculous as he crawled over to the window, but he didn’t think he was entirely ready to face him just yet. He peeked over the edge of the sill next to Barbara, who glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Grateful that she didn’t make it too obvious, he focused his attention on Jason.

From this angle, he could just make out the curve of Jason’s lips, currently twisted into a crooked grin. The moonlight was reflecting off of his dark hair, and the shock of white bangs, reminding Dick of how much he loved to run his hands through it. His eyes trailed down to the line of his jaw, the side with the growing bruise angled toward the window as he grinned at Barbara. Dick felt a little bad at seeing just how hard he had hit him, but really, the bastard certainly deserved it after the things he said. Pushing the guilt down, he let his eyes roam over Jason’s muscular build. Even with the leather jacket and loose jeans, Dick knows all the muscle that was underneath. Just another reminder of how intimately they knew each other, and how he might never get to experience that again with Jason. Sighing, he raised his eyes back up, only to lock with familiar turquoise ones.

Jason’s smile had fallen once he saw Dick staring at him through the side of the window. Of course, it was just the top of his head, and the barest glimpse of his eyes, but it was still enough for Jason’s heart to seize up in pain.

Once Dick was caught, he slowly stood up, looking down at Jason with a cool, impassive gaze as he let Barbara do all the talking. He didn’t trust his voice at that moment. Not that he wanted to talk to Jason anyway.

“What are you guys doing here?” She asked, crossing her arms.

It took some serious effort on Jason’s part to wrench his gaze away from Dick, and plaster a grin back on. “Ask Roy. It’s his booty call.”

“Stop calling it that!” He said indignantly, glaring at Jason.

Laughing, Jason walked over to Conner’s motorcycle, and got on. His laughing quickly turned to a groan as he realized Conner was too busy congratulating Roy, or something. Jason honestly couldn’t tell, and he didn’t care. He just wanted to get away from Dick’s blank stare. “Kon! Come on, let’s get out of here,” Jason called, snapping Conner out of his conversation.

“Okay! Okay! Just because your love life is crappy, doesn’t mean you have to give everyone else a hard time too.” Rolling his eyes, Conner got on, and started up his motorcycle.

Jason chose not to dignify that with a response, instead saying, “Have fun kids! Don't do anything I wouldn't do!” as Conner sped off.

Dick watched them speed down the street until they were out of view. He turned away from the window, flopped down where he was sleeping for the night, and hoped sleep would take him soon so he could just forget this whole experience.

A few moments later, Wally appeared outside, climbing into Roy’s car with a huge smile. Before they could take off, Barbara yelled, “I swear to god, Harper, if you corrupt him, or something-"

“Yeah, yeah. I'll have him back before 10, and we’ll be good responsible teenagers!” Roy responded, taking off with a laugh before Barbara could respond.

Wally laughed along with him, pointing out, “You are aware it’s midnight, right?”

“Guess that means we don’t actually have to obey that, then.” He flashed Wally a grin before pushing down a bit more on the gas.

Later than night, when they were finally at the cliffside overlooking Gotham, Roy was trying to enjoy finally having Wally all to himself, but his boyfriend instead wanted to be a chatterbox.

“And don’t get me wrong, we didn’t talk about Jason the whole time but-"

Roy pulled away from where he was kissing Wally’s neck, giving him a pointed look. “As much as I love talking about my best friend, we haven’t been able to spend much time together. Don’t you think maybe you could save this for later?”

“Right! You are completely right. Later.” Wally resolutely nodded, cupping Roy’s face to give him a proper kiss. Just as they were starting to get into the groove of things again, Wally once again pulled away. “I just feel so bad for Dick, though. He seems like a nice guy, you know?”

Chuckling, Roy dropped his forehead to rest on Wally’s shoulder as he prattled on. Roy slid his hands up and down Wally’s sides, nipping at his neck every now and then. He was about to just cut him off by pulling him into another kiss, but was interrupted as a car rumbled up the hill, and backed into his. Wally stopped talking as they both turned their heads, looking over their shoulders to see Catalina Flores and Miriam Delgado.

Roy didn’t know much about either of them. He knew Miriam dated Bruce for a week, two max , but not much outside of that. Jason didn’t care to get the details, or be around her very often, so Roy knew even less. The tabloids and paparazzi didn't even seem to care that much, which was kind of shocking. They always wanted the scoop, on all the Waynes. They were good at being secretive when they wanted to though. As for Catalina, she was still a mystery.

“Wow. When we heard you entered the race with a piece of junk, we weren’t expecting this . Turns out, they were understating it!” Catalina said with a giggle.

Narrowing his eyes, Roy shifted to try to cover Wally a bit more. “Word sure does travel fast.”

“Of course! We wanted to know if you actually accepted our offer, then see what the competition looked like.” Miriam’s eyes traveled all over the car, examining it. “Turns out, we had nothing to worry about.”

“Okay, you saw who’s going to beat your ass in the race, now leave.”

“Oh, come on now. You don’t want to be rude to your guests! Especially not in front of tu amor. ” Catalina’s eyes flicked over to Wally with a vicious gleam. “Not when we also caught you two sneaking around.” She gestured wide to their surroundings on the secluded hilltop. “Pretty lonesome. Like you two are trying to hide your relationship.”

“You raise a good point,” Wally spoke up, despite Roy shaking his head at him with warning glances. “How did you find us?”

“It’s not hard to find where this junk car goes. Honestly, if you two are trying to sneak around, you’re doing a pretty poor job.” Miriam looked at them with a taunting sort of pity. “Whoever you’re hiding from could easily find you.”

“If they don’t just hear about it from us, first.” Catalina cackled as she waved her fingers. “This has been fun, but unfortunately we have to leave. You boys have fun now. While you can.” With that, she sped off, their laughs mixing together and ringing in the air long after they were gone.

Wally turned to Roy with wide, scared eyes. “What are we gonna do!? If my dad finds out-"

“He’s not going to find out,” Roy said gently as he wiped away a tear that had fallen down Wally’s cheek. “And if he does, we'll deal with it together.”

“You don't understand.” Wally had never told Roy about how his dad abused him. He didn’t want to bring that sort of darkness in one of the only bright spots of his life. “He’ll… he’s…” Wally’s words were cut off with a sob as the fear started working its way into his mind.

Roy just held him close, stroking his hair, and whispering soothing words. Once Wally had calmed down a bit, he pulled away, flopping back into the passenger seat, eyes staring at nothing. Roy bit his lip in worry, not entirely sure what to say to comfort him. So, he just started the car, and began making the long drive back to Kori’s.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Jason was looking under the hood of Roy’s car and humming to himself. After that, he walked around, examining it with a critical eye before dropping to slide under it. Roy and Conner were off to the side of the garage, bored. Well, Conner was bored, Roy was outright sleeping. That was until Jason stood up and loudly clapped his hands, startling them both.

“I think I figured out exactly how to make this thing race worthy. Some new pistons, plugs, shocks. Overhead lifters, four barrel quads-"

“Do we actually have any of this?” Conner interrupted, relaxing back into his seat. Instead of answering, Jason looked around the huge garage in the manor with a pointed look. “That doesn’t mean anything! You could still be out of parts, or something.”

“I don't think we are, but if so, I'll just ask Tim to order some more.” He glanced back at the car that looked even sadder surrounded by all the nice, vintage cars. “We can start work once Raven and Artemis get here. Where are they anyway?”

“Double date with Kori and Megan. They said they might not be here until noon.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jason nodded. “Fine. We may just have to start without them then.”

Absolute delight took over Roy’s face as his lips twitched upwards, obviously holding back laughter. “You know what I just realized? Our poor little Jaybird is the only single guy in our group now.” Jason’s glare sent him into all out laughter.

“I could have anyone I wanted. I just don’t care to be with anyone right now. No one interesting, ya know?” That was a huge lie, but he still had to stick to his ridiculous persona he built for himself, thinking that was the only way to keep his friends, and everything he’d built up for himself over the years. Going from street rat to billionaires son can fuck with a person’s perception of the world. He needed to be guarded, and careful about every part of his social life, or he could easily go back to the lonely life he had before. He didn’t want to go back to that.

Roy finally got himself under control enough to speak. “I don’t know. You seemed pretty interested in that Dick guy yesterday. And he seemed pretty interested in you. Until you gave him your usual charm, of course.”

“Yeah, pretty sure that ship has sailed,” Conner agreed, Roy having filled him in on the details earlier.

“That’s not true. If I wanted him back, I could easily do that.” Another lie. Dick made it pretty clear he never wanted to see him again. Which hurt because now that he knew they were still in the same city, so close to each other, he wanted their relationship over summer back. He wanted Dick back. But he had to go and be an idiot, ruining one of the best things that happened to him.

With a scoff, Roy stared at Jason with a disbelieving look. “Dude, no way would he even talk to you, let alone hook up with you.”

“That a bet?” The words came out before he could think on them.

“You know what? Yeah, it is. I honestly doubt he'll get together with you.” Roy’s lips curled into a challenging smirk.

“You two can’t be serious. You know you’re also messing with an innocent guy in all this?” Conner looked between his two friends.

Looking over at Conner, Roy shook his head. “Like he’s even going to give Jason the time of day. You can’t fuck with an innocent person if they don’t even go along with it in the first place.”

Jason ignored Roy as he also turned to Conner. “Dick will never have to know about the bet.”

“What about when you break up with him?”

That made Jason pause. They still thought he didn’t care for Dick at all. That he was just another fling. He couldn’t very well tell them the truth, which was once Jason had him back, he wasn’t letting him go ever again. Instead, he gave a nonchalant shrug. “I’ll let him down easy.” He would have to plan out a way to actually keep Dick in the end. In a way that was believable.

“Okay, if you’re sure.” With that, Conner let them make their bet, putting his hands up and leaning back.

Jason just hoped he wasn’t making a terrible mistake that would end up hurting them both worse in the end.

Chapter Text

Later that afternoon, Jason parked his motorcycle, and stared at the circus that was set up in front of him. He was on the outskirts of the city, in a big empty lot. Well, not so empty what with all the tents, trailers, and concessions. There wasn’t a show until later that evening, so Jason just had to wander his way through to find Dick. Over the summer, he had only been to the circus a handful of times as, despite his reassurances, Dick still seemed uncomfortable with having Jason there. He loved to watch him perform though, and always cherished the performances Dick let him see.

Jason lingered outside the main tent where Dick had told him to wait after the show. The whole act was amazing, and almost made him feel like a kid again with all the incredible stunts, tricks, and performances. Of course, everyone else had faded away when Dick had performed his Nightwing act. The whole routine was still playing through his head, completely distracting him until he felt arms wrap around his waist, and Dick’s bright smile invaded his vision.

“So… did you like it?” He was still dressed in his black and blue leotard, but had taken his mask off, the domino scrunched up in one of his hands. Underneath the excitement, Jason could see the nervousness flitting across Dick’s expression.

Smiling, he pulled Dick closer, and gave him a soft kiss. “Like it? I loved it, Dickie. You looked so beautiful, soaring high with your death-defying stunts. Showing off your… flexibility. My pretty bird.” He mumbled the last part against his lips before claiming his mouth again.

Dick pulled away with a laugh, moving his hands to tangle in Jason’s hair, eyes sparkling with amusement. “I thought you were already intimately aware with my flexibility,” he teased, lips twitching as he struggled to hold back a grin.

Gently swaying them, Jason hummed as he shrugged. “Maybe I just need a reminder. You said something about your trailer being nearby?”

He received his answer in the form of a heated kiss.

Jason shook himself out of his thoughts, and saw he was now standing right in front of Dick’s trailer, obvious with the little personalized touches littering it. Right before he was about to knock, he heard familiar laughter drifting over to him. Walking around the trailer, he noticed Dick laughing, holding his hands up to try to stop the water the elephant was spraying on him. Jason remembered Dick saying he liked to have his trailer right by the elephant. Zitka, if he remembered correctly.

“Come on, girl! We’re never going to get this done if you keep wasting all the water on me!” He tried to look stern, but it was severely dampened by his huge grin. There was a cold, tense feeling that overtook the scene though as Dick turned to grab the hose once again, only to notice Jason standing there. His grin quickly fell as his body went rigid. Sensing his distress, Zitka wrapped her trunk around his waist, eyeing the newcomer warily. Jason had met Zitka before, but it was obvious she wasn’t a fan of him now. Which, okay, understandable. His mere presence had put Dick on edge, and of course the elephant picked up on that.

Clearing his throat, he gave a little wave and an awkward smile. “Hey, Dickie.”

That seemed to knock Dick out of his stupor as he turned back to Zitka, petting her trunk, and seemingly ignoring Jason’s entire presence.

Huffing out a frustrated breath, Jason ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I get that you're still pissed. And you have every right to be. I fucked up, I shouldn't have said what I did. You deserve better than that.”

Dick still hadn't said anything, but he was at least now looking at Jason, so he pushed on. “Remember how over summer, I said you were the only one that knew me? The only one I truly let my guard down for?” Dick gave him a slight, hesitant nod. “That was all true. My friends don't know about half of the shit I told you. How much I enjoy reading, or those old, classic, black and white movies. They don't know how much I… I care for you, Dick. And I miss you. I never thought we would see each other again after summer. If we did, it would at least be years until you were back in town, or… or something.”

He let out a breath as he shifted his feet, and rubbed the back of his neck. “I know it’s a lot to ask. And I know I don't deserve it but… do you think I could have a second chance? At least… let’s just be friends? I want to try to make up for the stupid things I said. I don't want it to end this way. I hurt you, and that’s something I never wanted to do. I'm sorry, Dick. I'm so sorry.”

For a few long moments, the air around them was still, and tense. Their eyes stayed locked as Dick seemed to be searching them for something. Sincerity, maybe? Or maybe he was searching for a lie? Whatever it was, he seemed to find it as he finally spoke in a small, broken voice.

“You really hurt me, Jason. That's not easy to forgive.” He continued as Jason opened his mouth to speak. “I trusted you, I cared for you. I even…” He squeezed his eyes shut, apparently deciding against whatever he was going to say.

“I know, Dickie. And I truly am sorry. I felt- I feel the same way about you. I know it’s going to take some time for you to get back to that, if you ever get back to that...” He ignored the way his heart constricted painfully at that thought. “But I just want a chance to make things right.” He took a cautious step forward, but quickly stopped when Zitka puffed out a large breath of air, and pulled Dick in closer.

At some point, Dick had reopened his eyes, pain and wariness evident in them. Jason squirmed a bit under the stare, knowing he was the one that caused those emotions. Finally, Dick spoke again.

“Zitka’s personal handler is out sick this week. I'm supposed to take care of her until she comes back.” Jason blinked at the sudden change in topic, confused as to where Dick was going with this. “Help me take care of her for the week, and I'll consider giving you another chance.”

Despite himself, Jason couldn’t help the small, hopeful smile from forming as he agreed. They had tons of animals at the manor, thanks to a certain brat, and Jason was roped into taking care of them, more often than not. Sure, this was on a different playing field, but Dick was also going to be right there the whole time. How hard could it possibly be?

Chapter Text

To no one’s surprise, except maybe Jason, taking care of an elephant is pretty fucking hard. The rest of the showering had gone pretty well. Up to the point Jason got sprayed with a huge burst of water that was much different from the light spray Dick had received. It actually physically knocked him off his feet, Dick laughing at him all the while. The laugh almost made it worth all the other shit he went through the rest of the day. Like getting knocked down repeatedly by Zitka ‘accidentally’ hitting him with her trunk, or just getting hit in general with her tail. Or slipping on mud after it just so happened to be wet where he needed to walk. And whenever there was water nearby, well, Jason was sure to be sopping wet.

By the time Jason made it back to the Manor, he was exhausted. He wanted to take a quick shower and then maybe sleep for the next week or so. Who knew taking care of an elephant would be so exhausting? Well, he reflected, Dick probably did. That's probably why he told Jason to do it in the first place.

As he went to open the front door, he was intercepted by Alfred opening the door first.

“Master Jason! What on Earth happened to you?!” He scolded. Damian happened to be walking past, and he wrinkled his nose in distaste at Jason.

“You wouldn't believe me if I told you.” Jason answered honestly.

“Well, you are absolutely forbidden from stepping foot in this house until you get all that mud off yourself.” Alfred told him firmly. Damian smirked at Jason, who glared back. “The hose is around the side.” Alfred directed, and Jason sighed as he trudged over to where the hose was. As he started hosing off, he glared at Alfred, who was watching to make sure that he got all the mud off, and Damian, who was watching because he enjoyed watching Jason suffer.

Bruce had just finished filing the last of the paperwork for a specific job his company was working on, and he decided he needed to stretch his legs. He hated being cooped up inside for too long.

Walking through the halls of the Manor, he spotted Damian and Alfred staring out the window, Alfred with an impassive expression, and Damian with barely contained mirth. He was mildly concerned at that, so he strode over to the pair.

“What are you both looking at?” He asked, turning to look out the window.

“Todd made a mess,” Damian informed him. “He must be clean before Pennyworth will allow him back inside.” Bruce looked out to see that yes, Jason was indeed hosing himself off, glaring at them intensely.

“Hey, what's going on…?” Tim asked as he approached the group. Bruce just sighed heavily and left. He didn't even want to know. Tim looked out the window and burst into laughter at the sight. Jason simply flipped him off as he finished. He put the hose away and stomped back to the front door, where Alfred approved him clean enough to enter. Damian and Alfred left in separate directions after Jason came inside, but Tim walked next to Jason, grinning.

“What happened?”

“You wouldn't believe me,” Jason grumbled, shivering slightly. He just wanted to take a hot shower and go to bed.

“Try me.”

“An elephant got mad at me. A literal elephant.” Tim blinked, trying to piece together the information.

“Maybe I've been awake for too long and this is just a hallucination,” Tim muttered to himself. No way did Jason mess with an elephant, where would that happen, anyway?

“How many days you been awake for?” Jason looked over Tim, a little concerned.

“Two days, maybe?” He shrugged. “I've been working on an extra credit project for science.” Jason shook his head.

“Go to bed, Timmy.” Jason said, and Tim rolled his eyes and left to get some sleep.

---

Despite all the shit he had to deal with the day before, Jason still showed up to the circus next day.

Dick stared at him with wide eyes once he spotted him. “Wow. I didn’t honestly think you’d show. Especially not after yesterday.”

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Jason shrugged. “I told you I wanted to make things right. I knew it was going to be hard to do that.” He looked around the elephant stall they were standing in. “Though, I will admit, I didn’t think an elephant would be involved.”

Although it was small, Dick gave him a genuine smile. However, it quickly turned wicked as he led Zitka out of her stall, and over to begin taking care of her feet. “You have the pleasure of taking care of Zitka’s stall today! Have fun!” He called out over his shoulder with a laugh.

Jason groaned as he looked around the stall. Maybe, if he was really careful, he could end up not going home and having to hose off again. Unfortunately, Zitka had other plans as she sprayed water over to the stall, making the ground just slippery enough for Jason to fall straight onto his back as he walked around to start cleaning up. At this point, it was clear he would need to not just win Dick over, but Zitka as well, and that…

He could tell that was just going to be tons of fun.

---

The next morning, Jason walked downstairs, only to sigh as he once again heard Tim and Damian fighting. He walked into the dining room to see Conner sitting at the table, gaze darting between the brothers, obviously uncomfortable.

“He’s my guest, and I say we have whatever he wants!”

“Exactly! He’s your guest! Which means the rest of us shouldn’t have to be subjected to whatever he picks, Drake!”

Jason laughed lightly to himself as he noticed Conner turn to him for help. “Dude, what did you pick for breakfast?”

“Nothing! I just came to see if we were working on the car today, maybe talk to Tim a bit, and head to school with you! Then… this happened.” He waved his hand at Tim and Damian, who seemed to be completely ignoring the other two in the room.

“Yeah, they do that. They’ll be at it for a while, so if you want to head out-"

“No, he doesn’t need to leave, because I am done with this stupid argument!” Tim glared at Damian, grabbed Conner’s wrist, and dragged him off.

Damian scowled after them. “He knew he was losing the argument.”

“Really? I was going to say he realized he wanted to have a hot make out session with Kon before school, but y’know. To each their own.” Jason grinned at Damian’s disgusted noise.

“I didn’t need that mental image, Todd.”

“Oh, then you definitely don’t want to picture them doing any more then. Like Tim pushing against him in a closet and-" Before he could get his thought out, Damian covered his ears and stormed out of the room.

As he was about to leave the room, chuckling to himself, Jason ran right into Alfred. “Hey, Alfie. Heading out to school. And I'll probably be home late. I’m helping a friend after school with some stuff.”

Alfred arched a brow, but didn’t ask any questions. “Very well, Master Jason.” Jason gave him a small smile, and began making his way to the door, but was stopped by Alfred adding, “But do try to not come home covered in who knows what, and smelling generally unpleasant.” He sent Jason a look that was part teasing, part reprimanding before walking off to the kitchen.

Feeling like a scolded child, Jason hitched his backpack up slightly higher, and left to head to school.

---

Not even ten seconds after Jason parked, he was ambushed by Roy.

“So, how are things going with Dick? You two kiss and make up yet?”

“You couldn’t even wait a minute to ask, huh?” Jason rolled his eyes as he stepped off his bike.

“You know I have this insatiable need for gossip. So, go on. Did you completely crash and burn with him?” He gave a mock sympathetic look as he patted his shoulder. “Sorry, buddy. Looks like I'll be winning the bet.”

Jason shrugged off the hand and glared at Roy. “I’ll have you know I'm making it up to him now, and that things are back on track with him.”

Roy looked genuinely surprised at that. “Seriously? Wow.”

“Yup, so looks like I'll be winning the bet.” Jason threw the mock sympathy look back at Roy. “Sorry, buddy.”

Grinning, Roy nudged his arm. “Well, I'll say you’re winning more than just the bet. You get to fuck him again! I'm jealous, he’s pretty hot.”

“Just pretty hot!? He’s fucking gorgeous.” Of course, it was a bit more than sex to Jason, but now was not the time to admit that to Roy, of all people. Dick would be the one to hear it first. Besides, it wasn’t like it was a lie; Dick was fucking gorgeous. “I don't know if it’s that Romani heritage, or what. But damn.”

“Romani?”

Jason should have known Roy wouldn’t be familiar with that. Dick was the one to explain it to Jason, so it made sense. “You know, like a gypsy.”

“Oh. Yeah, they can be pretty hot. But I'm not giving up yet. You could still fail.” Jason gave him a look, which Roy ignored while he continued. “Besides, you were the one that ignored me all weekend. I had to hang out with Raven!” That earned him a punch to the arm. “Where the hell did you even come from!?” He glared at Raven who had an uncanny ability to just appear and disappear at will.

Ignoring that question, Raven said, “You didn’t have to hang out with me. In fact, you were the one that bothered me when I was trying to have some peaceful alone time.”

“Uh, yes I did? Wally had to help his uncle out, Kon was with Tim, Jay was trying and probably failing to make up with Dick-" He disregarded Jason’s indignant noise. “And Artemis was out with Meg on some romantic date. Which left you and me, Rae. And was it really that bad?”

“Yes.”

Jason laughed at Roy’s pout, but ended up laughing even harder when Conner finally showed up with swollen lips, and the collar of his jacket popped up, obviously trying to hide his neck. “Looks like you and Timmy had a fun time.”

“Shut up, Jason.” Conner scowled as the bell rang, and they all made their way to class.

The rest of the day passed pretty uneventfully. It actually went kind of fast, though Jason suspected it was also because he was anxious about meeting Dick after school. Dick had told him he had cheerleading practice, but Jason was too wound up to really be able to do anything else. So, he just lingered around the parking lot.

He paced by his bike for a bit before leaning against it, and lighting up a cigarette. It helped to calm his nerves somewhat. By the time he was about halfway through it, he heard laughter approaching. Turning his head, his eyes caught sight of Dick walking with another cheerleader, laughing at something she said.

Jason’s eyes felt like they were glued to Dick. He certainly pulled off his cheerleading uniform well. The pants hugged him in all the right places, along with the shirt which also showed off his arms. In the late afternoon sun, he almost looked unreal. It wasn’t until they got closer that he heard the flirting.

“It’s so nice being around you, Dickie. I feel like you really understand me.” Jason inwardly groaned at that. “I want to understand you just as well.” He watched as the girl ran her fingers up Dick’s chest, and batted her eyelashes obnoxiously.

It wasn’t that Jason was jealous though. Dick could date whoever he wanted. It was just that Jason thought he could do better. That was all there was to it. No jealousy whatsoever, even when Dick flashed her his brilliant smile and seemed to be responding positively to the terrible flirting. He ripped his eyes away from them as he angrily took another drag of his cigarette.

“That sounds like a fun time, but I unfortunately have other plans tonight. Maybe some other time?” He carefully pulled away from her, never losing that smile.

“You know where to find me, Boy Wonder.” She sent him a wink and a flirty smirk before sauntering off, making sure to sway her hips.

Jason didn't care to know how long Dick stared after her as he finished his cigarette, stamping it out against the ground. Looking up, he saw Dick approaching him with more of a teasing smile than before. As he came to a stop next to Jason, he arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms.

“How much of that did you eavesdrop on?”

Well, since he knew Jason was listening in, there was no sense in hiding it now. “Boy Wonder?”

Dick let out a chuckle as he shook his head. “It’s just a stupid nickname the other cheerleaders came up with. But what are you doing here?”

“We said we were meeting up after school, right? Z still needs her daily care, after all.”

Smile softening a bit, Dick nodded. “I figured you would just meet me at… at my house.” He faltered some, eyes shifting around the mostly empty parking lot. He didn’t want to let anyone in on his secret in such a stupid way. “You didn’t have to wait for me.”

“It was either hang around here, or hang around there. At least here, I don’t have to deal with an angry animal that hates me.” Jason shrugged as he moved to straddle his bike.

Laughing, Dick walked to his own motorcycle and got on as well before sending Jason a playful look. “She does not hate you. She just knows I'm mad at you, and she's very protective.”

“You don't seem very mad at me right now. So, today might go a little better?” He was getting real tired of that stupid hose.

“Oh, Jay. The week is just getting started, and don't be fooled. I have not forgiven you yet. Not even close. You hold onto that hope though, if it helps.” He sent Jason one last smirk before sliding on his helmet, starting his motorcycle, and peeling out of the parking lot.

Jason sat there for a moment, trying to work out if he was extremely scared or extremely attracted. He eventually came to the conclusion of it being a little bit of both as he quickly put on his own helmet, and followed after Dick.

Chapter Text

Later in the day, Dick apparently decided it was time for Jason to explain. Zitka was eating, so Dick left her to it to search for the other teen. He found him a little ways off, shaking himself of water. Smiling to himself, he walked closer, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Z got you again, huh?”

Jason was proud to admit he did not jump at the sudden voice. But he might have been startled just a bit. Turning around, he smiled as he moved his wet bangs aside. “I told you she hated me.”

Dick rolled his eyes before gesturing with his head towards his trailer. “Come on, I'll get you a towel.” They started making their way over in relative silence until, “So, why did you do it? Why did you say those things you said?”

It was obvious what Dick was referring to, but Jason was caught a bit off guard. “I- um…” He wasn’t sure how to start with defending himself, but he didn’t need to since Dick started talking over him.

“I’m just trying to understand how this sweet guy I met over summer turned into such a jerk,” Dick explained, opening the door to his trailer. “And now, you’re back to being sweet. Waiting after school for me, helping with Zitka, trying to joke and be friendly with me? It’s honestly throwing me off. So, I just want to know why.” He glanced back at Jason before heading in.

Jason wasn’t sure if he was welcome inside, so he fidgeted in place. Finally, he gave up, and decided to just continue with the route of honesty he had started. “I have this… thing…” He cringed at that, but he just wasn’t sure how to start this. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to start this.

Emerging from the trailer, Dick handed him a towel with a small smirk. “A thing?”

“This is hard for me, Dickhead. Don’t mock me.” Jason took to drying off his face, taking the excuse to prolong having to explain himself. He hadn’t really ever discussed his history before, with anybody. And telling Dick about the bet was nerve wracking, too. All of the goodwill he was building up could quickly vanish. The whole thing was causing him quite a bit of anxiety.

Apparently seeing how serious Jason was turning, Dick quickly sobered up as well. Nodding, he gestured to his trailer. “Want to come inside and talk, then?”

For a moment, Jason was too stunned that Dick was inviting him inside to respond. He looked around, spotting the random circus members milling about. They weren’t paying attention to them, but Jason still didn’t want them to overhear his personal story. So, he agreed and followed Dick back inside.

Once the door was closed, Jason took a second to soak in the surroundings that had become so familiar to him over summer. It was weird to be back in here, allowed back in. Then, he realized Dick was sitting on the edge of his bed, watching him with an unreadable look.

“Do you remember all the times we spent in here?” Dick eventually asked, looking down at his hands.

“I do. We had some… memorable moments.” When Dick let out a soft chuckle at that, Jason sat a little ways away from him on the bed. “Look, Dickie. There are some things about me that I haven’t told anyone. And… you might see me differently, after this.”

Dick looked up and over with a wry smile. “Try me. You can’t get much worse in my eyes. After the stunt you pulled.”

“Right. I… definitely deserve that,” Jason mumbled, running a hand down his face. “Before Bruce took me in, I was a street rat. And out there, you either had to act tough, or get taken advantage of. So, I chose the former.” He wrung the towel in his hand, staring down at his white knuckles. “It was also how I ended up getting my first group of friends. They were a rough group.”

“Am I about to hear the origin story of the T-Birds?” Dick teased, pinching the fabric of Jason’s jacket between two fingers. “I've always wanted to know how this whole thing got started.”

Jason laughed as he nodded. “Actually, kind of. To really sell the bad boy persona I had, I proposed the gang thing, where nobody would mess with us. Unfortunately, they wanted to take it further and further. I was just trying to survive, but they seemed to actually enjoy the things they were doing.” He hated remembering his time with them.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath.

“They scared me. I kept feeling they would pull me over the edge with them. I was just a kid that finally felt accepted. Like I had a family to protect me and look out for me. I looked out for them in return. I was loyal . But they were just using me.” He reopened his eyes, resuming his intense staring at the towel in his hands.

Dick felt his heart pull in sympathy at that. He knew what it was like to not have a sense of belonging. After his parents died, things with the circus were tense, and the guilt he felt over their deaths made him feel like he didn’t deserve the love his circus family was trying to give him. It took many years of forced isolation and distance for him to finally accept the love around him. To feel a part of the family again. So, he felt he knew where Jason was coming from.

Carefully, he pulled one of Jason’s hands away from the towel. Instead, he held onto it, squeezing tightly. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. I understand the feeling, so I know it’s not fun.”

“Thanks.” Jason lifted his gaze from their hands to gaze right into Dick’s eyes. A genuine smile began to appear before he looked back down. “Luckily, before I could be on my own for too long, or before I could go past that line, Bruce ended up taking me in.”

“How did that happen?”

“It’s so fucking crazy. When I was 12, I broke into his car to get out of the rain, get a good night’s sleep. Bruce was impressed since he’s a paranoid rich guy with tons of money to get security all over his car.” Looking smug, he glanced back up, smile shifting more to a grin. “I got past it. It was laughably easy.”

Dick laughed at that. “I’m not even surprised, Jay. You are ridiculously smart.”

“Thank you, it’s nice to be recognized for my accomplishments.” He gave a mock half bow which caused Dick to laugh a bit more. “He was apparently so baffled and awed that I got past his security, he ended up adopting me. Well, also he wanted to get me off the streets.” Jason honestly couldn’t thank Bruce enough for that, even if he didn’t always show it. Whether either of them liked it or not, Bruce was his father now, and for the most part, he was happy. He had a family.

Dick gave him a soft smile, genuinely happy Jason got out of his situation before it got worse. Standing up, he let go of Jason’s hand to get some water. “So, how did we get to this point?”

“Yes, that. I was a little shit when Bruce took me in.”

“Implying you aren’t now,” Dick joked, handing Jason water before sitting back down.

Jason gave him a pointed look as he accepted the drink. “I’ll have you know I was much worse when I was younger. I didn’t trust Bruce. I didn’t trust anyone. And all I really knew was that persona I had created for myself. So, I hung onto it.” He took a sip of water, then gave a weak shrug. “Bruce somehow still put up with it, but when I was enrolled in a different school, my classmates were not so accepting of it. I ended up isolated, but I was okay with it. Gave me time to focus on school.”

“Ah, so that’s when you nurtured your nerdy ways.” Dick chuckled before taking a drink of his own water.

“Yeah, but it was to the point where my teachers tried to push me to get hobbies. Be more social.” Jason shook his head at the memory of it, sardonic grin playing on his lips. “I resisted since the last group of friends I had went a bit terribly. But word got around to Bruce, and he forced a playdate with Roy, since Ollie was apparently having the same type of problem with him.”

Dick snorted in amusement. “Playdate?”

“Would you prefer I use ‘meeting?’ That’s what Bruce said.” Jason cleared his throat to imitate his adopted father. “Jason, it has come to my attention that you have not been associating with other children your age. That is detrimental to your development, and social skills are an important asset to have. As such, I have arranged a meeting between you and Oliver Queen’s son.”

Chuckling, Dick said, “Wow, there’s no point in meeting Bruce now. I think you nailed it, if his interviews are anything to go by.”

Jason shrugged as he went back to his normal voice. “My talent knows no bounds. The skills you pick up from being into theatre.” Dick playfully nudged him with a light laugh. “But, it’s seriously just another thing to thank Bruce for. Roy has been a great friend throughout the years. Even if he might not know everything about me.”

“Yeah, but what kind of friendship is that really, Jason?” Dick asked, turning to fully face him. He waited until Jason looked at him to continue. “He doesn’t know the important parts of you. You’re hiding your interests, your true self.” He felt hypocritical saying this, but it wasn’t about him right now anyway. Besides, he felt the situations were different. “If he leaves you, if any of them do, just because you’re into literature, or opera, or whatever else, they aren’t worth it anyway.”

Jason wanted to point out how Dick was hiding being in the circus, but he felt now was one of those times he should bite his tongue. Instead, he said, “It’s a bit more complicated than that, Dickie. I think this persona is a part of me now. I don’t know how to let go of it. And if I do, and they leave me, that just brings me back to that lonely life I had before. I can’t go back to that.”

“You won’t have to.” Dick went back to gripping at Jason’s hand as he stared intently into his eyes. “I’ll still be your friend, Jason. I'll still accept you. You just have to be honest with me.”

There was nothing but sincerity in Dick’s eyes but Jason could admit it; he was scared. “I don’t know how to.”

The nervousness and vulnerability in Jason’s voice caused Dick to grip his hand tighter. “We can figure it out together.”

“Does… does that mean you forgive me?”

A fond look shone in Dick’s eyes as he pretended to hum in thought. “The week isn’t over yet, but you are definitely showing some great promise. Especially now that I actually understand what happened. Just keep the honesty going, Little Wing.”

The familiar nickname made Jason smile as he squeezed Dick’s hand back. It fell along with his gaze though as he realized he had one more thing to be honest with Dick about. “There’s… something else you should know.”

Dick’s own smile had formed at Jason’s but his was gone as well at the words. Anxiety and unease formed in his gut as he furrowed his brow. “What is it?”

“In trying to keep my persona, I kind of… bet on you.” Before Dick could question further, Jason explained, “I bet that I could convince you to get back together with me. To… sleep with me.”

There was a silence as Dick processed the words. He took his hand away from Jason’s limp one to run it through his hair. He stood up from the bed to begin pacing, not sure how he was feeling. On the one hand, he was glad Jason told him, but on the other hand, he fucking bet he could sleep with him. Sighing, he stopped and turned to the other teen. “Okay, um. Were you the one to make the bet, or what?”

“Does it matter?”

Dick gave a jerky nod. He had to know if Jason thought so little of him that he honestly believed it would be easy to hook back up with him.

Dropping his face in his hands, Jason quietly said, “Technically, I did. But not for the reasons you think, I swear.” He lifted his gaze back up to Dick, pleadingly. “I kind of ended up blurting it out. I told you, this identity I created for myself is a part of me, I had to keep it up. And I didn’t take it back since I figured I would eventually find a way to keep both you and my friends. I know that was stupid of me. I'm sorry.”

Dick stared at him with a cool expression, crossing his arms. “Yeah, I agree. It was pretty fucking stupid.” He felt conflicting thoughts and emotions running through his head, so he walked over to his door, and opened it. “I think Zitka’s done eating. Her food will need to be replenished. Her stall might need another cleaning, too. I would get to it, if I were you.”

Feeling the guilt, Jason nodded as he stood up and walked to the door. He hated that the guarded Dick was back, after it seemed like they were finally making some progress. “I am really sorry, Dick.”

There was a flash of something in Dick’s eyes, but it didn’t last long. “Thanks for being honest with me, Jay. But I really need you to leave right now.”

Jason nodded, giving no further argument as he left the trailer. He winced at the harsh sound of the door closing behind him. He really hoped Dick just needed time to cool off, that they could move past this. It would just take time, but Jason was in this for the long haul.

He was not surprised however, when he once again had to hose off that night.

Chapter Text

After their talk, Dick wasn’t necessarily cold towards Jason, but he wasn’t that friendly, either. He was more just neutral, keeping their conversations short, and to the point. Yet, Jason still stuck around, which honestly surprised him a bit. Jason was still having to deal with a protective Zitka, and a not too friendly Dick, but he never failed to show up everyday, usually meeting Dick right after his practice.

It was on Thursday afternoon that Dick finally said something. “Why are you still here?”

Jason looked up from where he was stamping out his cigarette. He looked confused as he straightened up from where he was leaning against his bike. “Uh, I go to school here?”

Crossing his arms, Dick looked unimpressed. “You know what I mean. Why are you still waiting for me after school? Why are you still helping me take care of Z? I barely even say hi to you anymore, we don't talk in school, and when we do talk, it’s just me giving you a task to do. So, why are you sticking around?”

Shrugging, Jason stuck his hands in his pockets and looked down at his shoes. “I want that to eventually change. I already told you, I'm hoping we can be friends again. I knew it would take some time.” He looked back up, shaking his head. “That’s why I told you about all those things in the first place. I want us to be honest with each other again. I want to be honest with you.”

Dick let his arms fall to the side. He wanted to believe that, he really did. But with everything Jason had done, it wouldn’t be easy to trust him again. It would certainly take a while to get back to how they were before. Still, Jason was making an effort, Dick could see that. He guessed he could give a little bit back. “I would like that too, Jay. To be friends again.”

A small, hopeful smile formed as Jason looked over at Dick. “My decision making skills haven't been the greatest, recently. I promise I'll do my best from here on out to be a good friend.” The smile dimmed a bit at ‘friend,’ but if it was noticeable, Dick didn't say anything.

Though it was small, Dick still laughed, moving closer to get on his motorcycle. Once he was on, before slipping on his helmet, he gazed over at Jason with a slight smile. “We’ll both try to be better.”

Jason didn't know if Dick really had anything to improve on, considering he wasn’t the one to ruin their relationship. But he didn’t voice those thoughts as he nodded, slipped on his own helmet, and followed Dick off to the circus.

The following two days, it seemed the two were getting friendlier. At least in Jason’s opinion. Though, he still had to clean out the stall by himself, Zitka stopped messing with him every chance she got; now it was more like every other chance she had. Dick was starting to pun at him too, which was its own type of hell. They were also all elephant related. Dick seemed to get a kick out of them, but it was kind of just torture to Jason.

Sighing, he stepped back out of the stall to take a look. It was clean, and for once, he wasn’t covered in anything. That thought made him check himself over, sure that he was missing something. Which what was his life where he was actually surprised when he wasn’t covered in shit and mud? Dick whistled as he walked up beside Jason.

“Good job, you got the stall clean. And without anything on you. That’s a first. Looks like you were finally up to the tusk.” Dick snickered at Jason’s playful exasperated look.

“I have my moments, ivory so often.” Dick looked over at him, surprised. “I can make puns too, Dickie. I just choose not to lower my humor in that way.” He smirked at Dick’s indignant scoff. It slowly fell though with his next words. “So… It’s Saturday.” He was hoping he didn’t have to elaborate.

It seemed he didn’t need to as an indecipherable look flashed in Dick’s eyes as he nodded. “Your week of elephant torture is almost over. I just need help with Zitka’s teeth, and you’re free to go.” He started walking off, motioning for Jason to follow.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Jason asked as they neared Zitka. Even though she hadn’t purposefully tried to sabotage him in the last day or two, she still seemed wary of him, which in turn set him on edge. And he did not feel like having his hand bitten off.

Dick handed him a brush as he gently petted Zitka’s trunk, getting her attention and locking gazes with her. “You said you wanted to be friends. You’ll have to get her approval again if you want that.” Apparently hearing his words, Zitka wrapped her trunk around his waist and went back to eyeing Jason. Dick looked over as well, motioning with his head for him to come closer. “Come on, she won’t bite.”

“Yeah, you maybe,” he mumbled, yet he still stepped closer. “She has a right to be mad at me, I would say.” A thought dawned on him that made him halt in his movements. “Did you tell her about the… you know.”

With those words, Zitka pulled Dick in closer, and stomped, gaze never leaving Jason. Dick focused back on her, working to soothe her. “I tell her everything.” Once she had calmed down a bit, Dick looked back over with a slight smirk. “I think she’s mostly past wanting to stomp you into the ground. As am I.”

“Mostly?” Jason was torn between focusing on Dick or Zitka. Both could easily hurt him.

“Yes, mostly. Now come on, we don't have all day!”

“You're not the one that might tragically die by elephant!” Even though he had met Zitka over summer, it was still pretty brief, and she definitely wasn’t mad at him then. He felt his fear was pretty justified.

Dick just rolled his eyes and grabbed Jason’s hand. Tugging him forward, he carefully placed his hand on Zitka’s trunk. There was a huge smile on Dick’s face as he went back to staring at the elephant, whispering soothing words. Feeling like an idiot for just standing there, Jason slowly moved his hand so he was now actually petting Zitka.

“See? You’re fine. We can both tell you’re trying, Jason.” The words practically came out as a whisper as he turned to fully face the other teen. Though it was a bit of a task with the trunk still tightly around him. “I guess this means we can be friends.”

Jason softly laughed as he looked at Dick, eyebrow raised. “You guess?”

“Well, yeah. If Zitka still rejected you, I would have to do the same. She’s my best friend, and can read people way better than I ever could.” Dick’s smirk was back as he added, “If she thought you weren’t being sincere, then you might have actually gotten murdered by an elephant.”

Jason figured Dick was probably just joking, but knowing him, there was also a big possibility he wasn’t. “I’m glad she accepts me, then. Does that mean you wouldn’t object to hanging out after we’re done here? Like doing something outside of manual labor. It’s still early enough. And I'm actually clean.” He tried to play off his emotions with a confident, playful smirk, but the hope still colored his words, so he quickly looked back at Zitka as he added, “Not that I haven’t loved our time together, Z.” He just got back on this elephant’s good side- kind of, at least- he didn’t want to lose that now.

Dick laughed as he said, “I would love to, Jay.” He grinned as Jason’s smile grew before untangling himself from Zitka’s trunk. “We really do need to clean her teeth though. Open up, girl,” Dick called out, grabbing his own brush. Before Zitka listened to Dick though, she lifted her trunk and blew air right against Jason’s head, completely ruffling his hair.

When she pulled away, Jason’s eyes were screwed shut with his hair blown every which way, strands sticking up at odd angles. The image made Dick laugh even louder, almost doubling over from the force of it. “I did say it was just mostly forgiven,” Dick managed between laughs.

Jason sighed and rolled his eyes as he attempted to fix his hair. Okay, he deserved this. At least that was all he got, instead of something worse. “Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, Dickiebird.” It was obvious the strands were not cooperating with him, so he just gave up and began cleaning Zitka’s teeth. Every once in a while, Dick would look over and chuckle again. Everytime Jason would act like he was annoyed. He really just loved being able to be with Dick like this again. Even if things weren’t totally perfect, for the first time in a while, it seemed they would actually be okay.

---

When they were finally done for the day, they decided to head to the diner for lunch, and play it by ear from there. The diner was packed, which was to be expected since it was a Saturday afternoon, but they still managed to find a big, round booth in the back by the jukebox.

Taking a bite out of his burger, Jason tried to ignore the way Dick was moaning around the straw of his shake. Even with his mouth closed or full, he still managed to make way more noise than was probably strictly necessary. At this point, Jason wouldn’t even be surprised if he was doing it on purpose because he knew how it affected those around him.

“This has to be the best shake I've had in awhile! How have I not been here before?” He let his eyes flutter closed in bliss as he ate a fry. “And the fries!” Opening back up his eyes, he held a fry out to Jason. “Try the fries, Jay!”

Jason decided to humor him- completely disregarding the fact he had his own food- as he leaned forward, and ate the fry out of Dick’s fingers. Before he pulled back, he let his lips lightly brush against his fingertips. It probably wasn’t a great idea, given the whole trying to be friends thing, but he couldn’t resist teasing Dick. His mouth twisted into a grin as he leaned back in his seat. “Those are pretty amazing fries, Dickie.”

Dick stared at him with wide eyes, slight pink to his cheeks. “Glad you agree,” he mumbled, taking another sip of his shake.

Drinking from his own soda, Jason smirked around his straw, pleased he could still get that kind of reaction from him. It was also kind of nice to feel a little back in control after Dick throwing him off balance all week. As he was about to take another bite of his burger, Roy and Artemis walked up.

“Hey there, Jaybird! Dickie!” Roy slid into the booth next to Jason, Artemis sliding in after him.

“Uh, kind of in the middle of something here?” Jason shot Roy a death glare, trying to warn him to leave.

It didn’t seem to affect him as he grabbed an onion ring off Jason’s plate and passed it to Artemis before taking one for himself. “So, you two look pretty cosy.”

“Yeah, and we were enjoying ourselves so if you don’t mind, could you kindly fuck off?” With his glare never leaving Roy, he pulled his food away and more towards Dick, along with his drink when he saw Roy eyeing that as well.

“You two on a date?” Artemis asked, leaning back in the booth as she flipped through the dessert menu.

Dick had tensed up when Roy joined them, but hearing Artemis’s question snapped him out of it. “Oh, no. We’re just hanging out, catching up as friends,” Dick politely told her with a smile. It dropped as he glared at Roy.

Seemingly feeling the glare, Roy looked at Dick, confused. “Why are you glaring at me now, too? It’s not like I'm trying to steal your food.”

Dick intended on laying into him about the bet, but Jason stopped him, leaning over to whisper, “Don’t do this here. I haven't talked to him yet. I promise I will but please let me do it in my own time.” When Jason pulled back, Dick nodded. It was a big thing for him to try to change, to let go of something he had built up and hung onto for so long. Dick could respect that, remembering the things Jason told him a few days ago. He just needed to trust that Jason would talk to Roy. And if he didn’t, then Dick would know where he stood.

“Sorry, I've just been in a bit of a… weird situation, lately,” Dick eventually murmured before eating some of his fries.

Jason was filled with relief, knowing he would need to thank Dick later. And definitely talk to Roy at some point. He needed to figure out how though. Maybe just flat out honestly would work? It seemed to work with Dick. It was just nerve wracking because Roy wasn’t Dick, he could react terribly to honesty. Jason couldn’t lose his best friend. Possibly the rest of his friends too, if they sided with Roy. Jason decided not to think on it too much at the moment. He had time, he would figure it out. If not for himself, then for Dick.

For his part, Roy just gave a slow nod, still at a loss on what just happened. But he ultimately decided to let it go as he tried to get at Jason’s food again.

The table had gone a bit quiet, before Artemis broke it. She stared at Dick with pursed lips, and question in her eyes. “You look familiar. Have I seen you somewhere before?”

Dick slowly raised his gaze from his food as he tried to keep calm. The question seemed to come out of nowhere for him. He had only seen Artemis in passing before this, not really talking to her as she mostly paid attention to Megan. “You probably just saw me at school, or with Meg or something. You are dating her, right?” He was hoping that would lead to a change in topic, which it did, thanks to Roy.

“Oh yeah! How did your big romantic night go?” He asked, still trying to get around Jason’s arms to his food.

“It was pretty fun. I got dragged off to the circus. You know, the one off on the edge of town? It was pretty cool, you guys should check it out sometime. Especially that Nightwing guy, he was awesome.”

Dick tried not to preen at the praise but he still loved to hear when his act was enjoyed. Unfortunately, that got replaced with panic as she asked her next question.

“Have you been there yet, Dick?” The question was back in her eyes, obviously still trying to puzzle out why he seemed so familiar.

“Uh, no. I haven’t had the chance to yet. Been busy with school, and the move and stuff.” He tried to nonchalantly shrug, but his nerves were making his hands fidget under the table. He was beyond grateful when Jason helped him out of the situation.

“This was supposed to be a surprise, but I was actually going to take him tonight. As part of my apology gift,” Jason supplied with a grin tossed at Dick. He prayed to whoever was listening that his friends didn’t know the schedule and didn’t know there wasn’t actually a show tonight.

Eyes lighting up, Roy practically bounced in his seat. “Ooh, can I come? I haven’t been able to make it out there yet.”

Right as Jason was about to shoot Roy down, another voice interjected.

“Haven’t been able to go where?” Megan asked as she approached with Wally. She smiled when she saw Artemis, sliding in next to her and kissing her cheek before resting her head on her shoulder. Wally was uncharacteristically quiet as he dropped in the seat next to Dick.

“No, please. Everyone just join in! Make it a full party.” Jason rolled his eyes as he slumped back in his seat, allowing Roy to pounce on his food as he finally let down his guard.

“We were talking about the circus,” Artemis answered her question as she handed her the dessert menu. “Want something?”

Megan happily took it, and began looking through it as she hummed. “Maybe… you want something, Wally?” She looked up at him across the table, concern lacing her expression. When he just shook his head, the concern grew. “He’s been acting like this all day,” she whispered to Artemis.

Hearing the words, Roy paused in his eating to look over at him, worry growing. “Wally, are you okay?”

Roy’s voice seemed to startle him as he looked up with round eyes. Obviously, he was on the edge of crying as his eyes were shiny with tears. Bracing himself, Wally forced his eyes shut as he spoke in a low, shaky voice.

“I’m breaking up with you.”

The entire table went quiet as they stared at Wally, stunned. Roy was the first to quietly ask, “What?”

Forcing his eyes back open, Wally stared straight back at him, setting his jaw. “I’m breaking up with you,” he repeated in a slightly stronger voice.

This time, Jason was the one to speak. “Maybe you and Roy should talk about this privately?” It was obvious the whole table was slowly going from shock to discomfort.

“Yeah, we can go outside and-"

Wally jerked his head from side to side, trying to hold back his tears. “I’ve made up my mind. I'm sorry.” He abruptly stood up from the table and walked off, not caring to glance back as he heard Roy struggling to get out of the booth. A hand grabbed his wrist, right where a bruise was forming, courtesy of his dad. Flinching, he ripped his hand away and kept his eyes averted, looking anywhere but Roy’s pained eyes.

“Please, at least explain to me why you’re doing this. I thought things were good?” Roy’s voice sounded so broken, yet there was an underlying frustration. “Is it because of your dad? Because I told you-"

“No, it’s not him! He doesn’t-" Taking a breath, Wally finally met Roy’s eyes. “I just don’t want to be with you anymore. Accept that, and move on.” Before he lost his nerve, or totally broke down in the middle of the diner, Wally turned on his heel and strode out the door.

This time, Roy let him go, staring at the entrance to the diner, unblinking. When his eyes started burning, he glanced back at the table, everyone watching him with anxiousness and pity. He really didn’t want either right now, so he also left, hoping some mindless driving would help himself get his mind off of how badly his heart hurt at the moment.

Back at the table, Jason was about to go after Roy, but he was stopped by Artemis.

“I think he needs to be alone right now. Give him some space.” She laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Megan nodded, eyes not leaving the doors. “I just don’t know why Wally did that. As far as I knew they were happy.” She turned back to her friends with sad eyes. “I hope everything’s okay.”

“I’m sure he’ll tell us once he’s ready,” Dick tried to reassure her. He was sure his own worry was showing through though.

The others reluctantly agreed as their eyes lingered on the doors. Eventually, they did manage to fall back into a somewhat comfortable conversation. Megan looked at her watch, and nudged at her girlfriend’s arm.

“If we’re going to make it to the clothing store in time, we have to go.”

Jason gazed at her, curious. “Clothing store?”

“Yeah. We were going to get some new outfits for the upcoming school dance.” Megan’s smile grew a bit stronger as her excitement began slowly coming back.

“There’s a school dance?”

Megan let out a heavy sigh as she stared at Jason with incredulity. “It’s only been the talk of the school for the past week. Where have you been?”

Taking care of an elephant, he thought, shifting his eyes to Artemis. “And you’re getting a new outfit? Since when do you care?”

“I may not care, but this one does.” She motioned with her head towards Megan who scoffed.

“The dance is going to be broadcasted on live tv. I just want to make sure I look my best, and maybe pick up something for you too.”

Artemis smirked at her, slinging an arm over her shoulders. “You always look beautiful to me.”

“Aw.” Megan gave her a quick kiss before flashing her a mischievous grin. “We’re still going.” She slid out of the booth, dragging Artemis with her, who was groaning.

“Pick out something sexy for her, Meg!” Jason called after them, receiving a giggle from Megan and the middle finger from Artemis. He chuckled as he leaned back looking over at Dick. “Sorry about all that.”

Dick shrugged, looking over the table. “It’s fine. It was mostly fun. Except for… you know.” He cleared his throat, as he pointed at what was left of Jason’s food. “Looks like Roy ate all your food though.”

“Yeah, he likes to do that.” He shook his head fondly, making a mental note to call Roy tonight to check on him. “Thank you, by the way. For holding off on yelling at him about the bet.”

Dick shrugged, finishing up what was left of his shake. “I’m trying to show you some trust here.” He glanced over at Jason. “Don’t make me regret that.”

Nodding, Jason stood up from the booth, leaving a tip for their waitress. He would need to talk to Roy soon, but now he also had to work around the Wally stuff he was going through. Sighing, Jason asked, “Ready to get out of here?”

“Where are we going? I’m pretty sure it’s not actually the circus?” Dick asked with a slight laugh, standing up from the booth as well.

Jason began leading the way out of the diner, and to his motorcycle. “No, surprisingly we aren’t. I was actually hoping, if it was okay with you, we could go back to the Manor.”

Stopping in his tracks, Dick stared straight ahead with wide eyes. Jason noticed, coming to a stop as well and turning around, prompting Dick to ask, “You want me to go to the Manor?”

“Well, yeah. You haven’t actually met my family yet. I'm sure they would love you, and…” He paused, considering his next words. “I want to show you some trust back, let you more into my life. The way you’ve let me into yours.”

Dick tried to process what Jason was saying. That he wanted him of all people- the circus freak- to not only go to his home, but meet his family and see more of his personal life? It was too much to fully comprehend, so he just gave a dazed nod as he walked the rest of the way to Jason’s motorcycle.

“We don’t have to, if you’re uncomfortable with it. There are other places we can go.” Jason didn’t want to feel like he was pushing him to do something he didn’t want to do.

“No, it’s- I'm fine. I just… wasn’t expecting it.” He offered Jason a small smile. “It’s fine, really.”

Jason searched his face for a few more seconds before hopping on his bike and handing Dick his helmet as he got on behind him. He smirked to himself as he felt Dick’s arms wrap around his waist, trying to push down his nerves. He was sure it would go fine. His family had it’s… quirks but they were sure to love Dick and accept him easily. He wanted to do this, show Dick he was serious about their friendship, and where ever it took them.

He just hoped his family wasn’t too weird for Dick. The Waynes were pretty good at awkwardness. And sometimes they forgot about boundaries. And sometimes they had no regard for social niceties and etiquette (Except for Bruce but he was sure to leave as soon as he could). Which really just left Alfred as the only normal one.

This was going to be a disaster.

Chapter Text

Jason pulled into the garage of the Manor, shut off his bike, and took his helmet off. Running his fingers through his hair to shake it out, he glanced over his shoulder at Dick, who seemed strangely quiet. “You doing okay there, Dickiebird?”

Dick had taken off his own helmet, and apparently hadn’t cared about his own helmet hair as he just gazed around the garage. His eyes snapped to Jason at the sound of his voice echoing around. “Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, just trying to get used to all… this.” He waved his hand around at the various cars. Even though he knew Jason was adopted by one of the richest people currently alive, he never acted like a rich kid. Having it thrown directly in his face like this was a bit jarring.

Stepping off the bike, Jason turned fully to face Dick, and worked on trying to tame his hair. “You haven’t even seen the inside yet. It makes me feel uncomfortable sometimes, and I basically grew up here.”

Eyes slipping shut at the fingers in his hair, Dick smiled as the action brought back memories of Jason doing the same exact thing every time after long rides together.

Jason stepped off his bike, and softly chuckled when he saw Dick’s hair. “I’m starting to think you’re doing this on purpose now.”

Staring up at him, Dick bat his eyes and tried to look as innocent as possible. “Now why would I do that?”

“Maybe because you enjoy having your own personal hair stylist.” Jason huffed out a laugh as he began combing his fingers through Dick’s hair, trying to fix it as much as possible.

“Or maybe it’s just because it’s you.”

Slowly, Dick opened his eyes as Jason stepped back, and dropped his hands to his sides. The urge to kiss him hit with such intensity, Dick sprang up from the bike, and completely stumbled into Jason in his haste to get away from the situation. Jason grabbed onto his arms to help steady him, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Whoa, you okay there?”

Stepping back, Dick gave a quick nod before turning around and heaving a deep breath. He hated that things were this way between them now, but he couldn’t ruin whatever progress was being made, just because he wanted a stupid kiss. He didn’t even know if he could fully trust Jason yet, and until he was absolutely sure, it was best to keep things friendly. It was hard to listen to that though when he turned back, and met Jason’s concerned eyes. Plastering on a smile, he forced out, “I’m okay. Just nervous about meeting your family. Which, we should get to, right?”

Jason stood staring for a few seconds more, searching Dick’s face before shrugging and leading the way out of the garage. “Now, fair warning, my family can be a bit… strange.”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine. You seem pretty normal,” Dick replied as he stepped through the door into the Manor. His eyes seemed to bulge out of his head as he took in the huge, ornately furnished sitting room.

Scoffing, Jason began exiting the sitting room, hoping to find Alfred first. “I just hope you still think that after you actually meet them.” He glanced over his shoulder when he realized Dick wasn’t following him. “Are you coming, Dickie?”

Looking over at Jason, Dick quickly nodded and began following him down the many hallways, gawking at everything they passed. It wasn’t until they abruptly stopped and he ran into Jason’s back that he realized he wasn't paying attention.

“Hey, Alfie! Just the person I wanted to see.” He seemed to completely ignore the fact that Dick full on ran into him, but it also didn’t seem to really affect him as he just kept grinning at the old butler. He was relieved he was the first one they ran into.

“Master Jason.”

Dick peered around Jason, and stepped fully out from behind him when Alfred arched an eyebrow in question. He gave a nervous wave, unsure exactly how to greet him. “Uh, hi. I'm Dick. Jason’s friend.” He wanted to hit himself for that, but settled for internally cringing.

“Pleasure to meet you, Master Dick. I assume you will be staying for dinner?” It was then Dick realized they were in the kitchen, Alfred walking to check on a sauce of some sort. It smelled delicious but he didn’t want to presume he was welcome to stay.

“Oh, no. I don't want to-"

“It is no trouble, and as a guest of the Wayne household, I insist you join us.” His tone was final as he continued dinner preparations.

Jason nudged Dick with his elbow. “You’re going to love Alfred’s cooking. It’s the best.”

Dick’s response was prematurely cut off as they heard a voice call out Jason’s name. Well, it had to happen sooner or later.

“In here!” Jason replied, turning to the entrance of the kitchen.

“I really hate you for not taking your place at WE. Do you know how much work I have to do on top of my regular schooling?” When he rounded the corner, he looked Jason up and down. “At least you didn’t have to hose off today.” His eyes flicked over to Dick. “You have company.”

“Tim, this is Dick. He’s the reason I had to hose myself off all this week.” He sent Dick a dirty look, but Dick just laughed at it.

“I thought you said it was an elephant. You have an elephant?” There was a growing curiosity in his eyes and voice that meant this would soon turn into more of an interrogation instead of friendly conversation.

“Well, she’s not my elephant, really. I was just taking care of her this week, and Jason was helping me.” He fidgeted under Tim’s sharp gaze. It reminded him a lot of Barbara, and it genuinely horrified him to think of what would happen if they ever teamed up.

“So do you work at the zoo? Fair? Circus?” He saw Dick slightly flinch at circus which interested him even more. “The circus, huh? What do you-”

“Okay, enough of this, Timmy. He’ll tell you whatever he wants to tell you. Stop with the interrogation.” Jason grabbed onto Dick’s hand, and tugged him out of the kitchen after waving goodbye to Alfred. Of course, Tim followed them.

After a few moments of relative peace, Tim hummed, invoking an eye roll from Jason. “You know, I haven’t seen you really hold hands with Roy before. Yet with Dick here, you seem pretty comfortable.”

Jason looked down, and saw that he indeed was still holding his hand. He quickly dropped it, and glared at Tim. “Don’t you have homework, or work? Something that isn't bothering me?”

“I always have time for you, Jay,” he said, hand over his heart with an exaggerated earnest look. That got a laugh from Dick but Jason was less than amused. “But seriously, are you two like, a thing? Because there is that gala thing coming up and-"

“Is that child polishing a sword?”

Tim and Jason stopped walking, and turned back around to see Dick stopped, looking into one of the studies. They both joined him and looked in as well. Dick thought that when Tim loudly sighed and walked in that he was going to take the sword away, maybe scold him. Instead, he shooed off the cat that was sitting on the couch.

“You know you aren’t supposed to let the animals sit on the furniture!”

“Father lets you sit on the furniture.” Damian barely glanced up from his polishing. “I see Todd bought another hoodlum friend home with him. Don’t let him break anything as Harper likes to do.”

Jason let Tim begin an argument with Damian as he gave Dick an eye roll. “That ray of sunshine is Damian. He’s a little demon, but don't let him intimidate you.”

“I’m sure he’s not that bad…” Dick honestly didn't sound too sure of himself, and he was eyeing the sword with quite a bit of caution.

When Bruce walked in, Dick felt a bit of relief. That is until he didn’t so much as give Damian a second glance, and instead looked surprised to see Dick there.

“I didn't realize we had company. And I don't believe we've met. I'm Bruce.”

“Dick.” He was thrown off by this whole situation; Damian still had his sword.

Bruce looked taken aback, eyebrows shooting up. “Excuse me?”

Replaying what he said in his head, Dick gasped as apology shone in his eyes. “Oh, no! I'm sorry, that’s my name. I'm Dick. Dick Grayson.” He would be fine with the ground just swallowing him whole now. Jason’s laughter in the background was not helping.

“Oh, I see.” Clearing his throat, he averted his gaze and instead focused on his sons. “Yes, well I was just making sure you all remembered the gala coming up.”

Damian and Jason both groaned. “We aren’t needed, Father. Todd and I aren't even apart of the business.”

“Demon Spawn is right. It will just be us having to make awkward small talk with rich people that we don't want to talk to. At the end of each of these things, I either want to shoot them, or shoot myself. Or both.”

Tim crossed his arms and scowled at both of them. “If I have to go, you have to go too!”

“Hey, you’re the one that decided to go into the company, Timbo. Don't blame us for your poor life decisions.” Shrugging, he smirked as Tim’s scowl deepened.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Bruce tried to find the inner strength to deal with his family. “You are all Waynes, and as such you will all go.” He held up a hand to stop the protests. “I already said you all can invite a plus one, if that makes it more bearable.”

Jason scoffed and shook his head. “I don't want to subject my friends to that torture.”

“I’ll go.”

All eyes turned to Dick, silent as his words seemed to echo around the room. He didn’t even know why he said that. He just knew Jason looked miserable, and the words just fell out. Might as well push through at this point. “I understand if you don’t want me to go-"

“It’s not that, Dickie. I would love for you to come. Just… are you sure?” Truth was, the idea of seeing Dick dressed up was an appealing one, but that wasn't enough of a reason to force him to go. Especially since he would see him at the dance before that, but still. This was a different level. It would feel more intimate, more official.

Dick’s thoughts were going along the same lines as he nodded more confidently. “I’m sure. It could be fun.” He gave Jason a small smile, and received a grin in return.

“Well, now that is decided, I believe it is time for dinner.” Before he left, Bruce gave Damian a pointed look. “Remember no weapons at the dinner table.”

Damian scoffed, but began packing his things up. As they were walking to the dining room, Dick leaned towards Jason and asked, “That’s an actual rule?”

“Yeah, few years back, Damian and I got into a pretty brutal fight with some knives we snuck in for dinner. We were both hoping to get the drop on each other.” He pulled up his jacket sleeve and showed Dick his arm, revealing a thin, jagged line. “It didn’t go so well. He has a matching one on his leg. But now, we’re the loving brothers you see today.”

Dick remembered seeing the scar before, but he had no idea that was the story behind it. “ Why? ”

“Bruce had just taken him in. We were both scared kids, and we both know how to wield knives." He shrugged like it was no big deal. Which it probably wasn’t to him.

As they sat down to dinner, Dick decided that while this family seemed like a bit of a disaster, he could see himself fitting in just fine. It wasn’t like he was super normal, or anything. It was refreshing to be around people that had their own quirks, that he felt understood him. He almost forgot they were from different worlds. It was nice.

Overall, Dick and Jason both called the night a success.

---

“ Todd! ”

Hearing the shout surprised Jason, and he ended up hitting his head against the underside of the car. Rubbing his head, he rolled out to glare at Damian. “What!?”

“Harper is here. He’s looking for you, and I'm pretty sure he is intoxicated. Pennyworth has him sitting in the dining room.” Damian crossed his arms as he looked over the car. “This car is still a ghastly sight.”

“That’s why I'm working on it, Demon Spawn,” Jason replied with an eye roll as he stood up, and wiped the grease off on his jeans. He ignored Damian’s disgusted look as he made his way out of the garage. “So, you said he’s intoxicated? Is he drunk?”

“I believe so. He was babbling like an idiot when he came in. Well, more than usual, anyway.” They came to a stop as they entered the dining room. Roy was sitting down in a chair, elbows on the table with his head in his hands. Alfred was standing beside him, trying to get him to eat and drink something.

Jason walked over to his friend, and kneeled down next to him. “Roy?”

Turning his head, Roy smiled slightly but made no other movements. “Hey, Jaybird.” His voice was husky and rough, and there were bags under his red rimmed eyes.

“You gotta eat something. You’re gonna have a killer headache if you don’t.” He glanced over at the food and water Alfred had set out. “Then maybe you can talk to me?” He hated seeing his best friend like this, but wasn’t entirely sure how to help him.

Roy shook his head and took in an uneven breath. “Wally won't talk to me. I don't know what’s going on with him, what’s happening at all. I tried talking to Kori, and she said he’s not talking to any of the Pink Ladies, either. I don't want to show up at his house, ya know, because of his dad, but I don’t know what to do.”

Jason nodded as an idea came to mind. He hated it, but if it helped Roy, he would do it. “I'll take care of it. You just relax, and let Alfred help you.” He stood up, and was about to walk off to make a call, but he was stopped by Roy grabbing his arm.

“What are you going to do? If you show up there, I don’t think his dad would let you anywhere near the house.” Even as he said the words, Jason could see the hope behind Roy’s eyes.

“Don’t worry, I know what I'm doing.” At least, he hoped he did. Gently, he removed his arm from Roy’s hold and walked off to Bruce’s study. He was supposed to be at a meeting with Tim, which seemed ridiculous because it was Sunday (did those two ever take a break?), but Jason was grateful for it now as he was able to get into Bruce’s office, search through his contacts, and call up the person he needed.

“Hello?”

“Commissioner Gordon!”

“Ah, Jason! It’s good to hear from you.” Jason doubted that, but at least he was being friendly, which was more than he could say for his daughter. “I’ve already told you, you can call me Jim. Bruce is a good friend of mine, so his son doesn't need to be so formal with me. Which, how is your father?”

“Bruce is fine, but I was actually wondering if I could talk to Babs? It’s about a school project.” He hoped that Barbara wouldn’t just turn the call away as soon as her father told her who was calling.

“Oh, of course. One moment.” Jason heard Jim call for his daughter before the voice got further away, leaving Jason in the silence of the study. Just as the low static of the phone and ticking of the wall clock was threatening to drive him insane, Barbara answered.

“Jason. I heard you were talking to Dick again.”

Straight to the point as always. “Hello to you too, Babs. Yes, we’re speaking again but-"

“I hope you aren't calling to get my approval or something. He may be opening himself up to you, but it’s going to take a bit more than that to-”

As much as he loved getting chewed out over his bad decisions by Barbara of all people, he decided to cut her off. “That’s not why I'm calling. Roy’s over here right now, drunk and a mess. He’s worried about Wally. I assume you heard about their breakup?”

There was a pause on the other end, and when Barbara spoke again, surprise and wariness colored her voice. “Yes, I did. Wally hasn’t talked to anyone, not even at school.”

“Roy wants to check up on him, but he doesn't want to make things worse by showing up with Wally’s homophobic dad there. I would ask one of the other T-Birds, but he has a problem with us, too.” The bitterness and anger at Wally’s dad was easily detected through the phone.

“Why do you care? And why ask me? We were trying to give Wally his space and time to sort through his feelings, but Meg and Kori have been dying to see him. I'm sure they would be more than happy to go.” Even if Barbara seemed to not like him, Jason always appreciated how wary, smart, and logical she could be. It’s part of what made her so terrifying.

“Believe it or not, I do care about my friends. Roy is a fucking disaster right now, and if hearing Wally’s okay helps him feel better, then I'm going to try to help him.” He took a deep breath, making sure he kept his anger in check. Getting mad at Barbara would not do him any favors. “And you’re the only one I could think of that not only could get past his dad, but you could hold your own against him if needed.”

There was another long silence as Barbara seemed to consider his words. “I may have misjudged you a bit.” He figured that was as close as an apology as he was getting right now. “I'll talk to Wally, and I'll call you afterwards.”

“Thanks, Babs.” With that, they both hung up, and Jason sighed, leaning back in Bruce’s chair. He sprang back up though as the door opened, and Bruce stepped in.

“Jason? What are you doing in here?” Bruce stepped closer, confusion clear. Jason was never found just casually in his study. Especially wearing a grease covered tank top and jeans.

Standing up from the chair, he glanced behind him and let out a breath of relief as he noticed nothing was left behind. Looking back at Bruce, a lazy grin appeared as he began leaving the room. “The real question is, what are you doing in here?”

Bruce somehow looked more confused as he stared at his oldest son. “This is my study…?”

“Exactly.” And with that, he left a very confused Bruce standing in the middle of his office, staring at the door.

Eventually, Bruce let out a sigh as he sat down heavily in his chair and leaned back. “This is what I get for having children,” he mumbled quietly to himself before getting to his paperwork.

---

Barbara stared at the house in front of her, figuring out exactly what she was going to say to Wally. No one had ever really been to his house before, except to pick him up, so this was new territory. Bracing herself, she walked up the front porch steps and knocked on the door. As soon as it was opened, she put on her most polite smile.

“Hello, my name is Barbara Gordon. I'm a friend of Wally’s. I was wondering if I could see him?”

The man that she assumed was Wally’s dad looked her up and down with a suspicious glint in his eyes. “You’re not with that Roy boy, are you? I already made it clear to my son he’s not to see him anymore.”

“Uh, no. I just wanted to see if he could… help me with my homework.” Her posture turned nervous as she fixed her backpack strap, bit her lip, and twirled a strand of her hair. The act had the desired effect as he nodded understanding.

“My son is going to be a heartbreaker, just like his dad,” he laughed, stepping aside to let Barbara in. She was able to hold back her disgusted look as she gave him a grateful smile. “His room is right down the hall, second door on the left.”

Nodding her thanks, she walked to the door and knocked lightly. When she heard the soft ‘come in,’ she opened the door, walked in, and closed it gently behind her. Her eyes took in Wally’s room, which looked to be in total disarray before landing on the bed, and the lump that lay underneath the covers.

When she softly called out his name, Wally pulled the covers off his head, and looked up at her. “Babs?” It was obvious he had been crying, fresh tear tracks were visible on his cheeks. “What are you doing here?”

“Checking up on you. You haven’t been yourself, lately.” She walked over to the bed and sat down. “You have everyone worried.”

“Everyone… you mean-"

“Me. Dick. Kori and Meg.” She paused before adding, “Roy.”

Closing his eyes, he sat up and scrubbed at his face. He didn’t notice that his sweater had ridden up a bit, causing one of his bruises to be seen. Barbara leaned forward, pushing his sweater up, but Wally opened his eyes and backed away against the headboard. Lifting her gaze, she met Wally’s terrified one as it immediately clicked in her head.

“I didn't want to break up with him, Babs,” he quietly said with his broken voice. There was a hitch in his breathing as he struggled to contain his tears.

Grabbing his hand, she squeezed. “I know. How long has he been doing this?”

Wally’s shoulders lifted in a weak shrug. “He stopped… for a while. I thought things were finally getting better. But then he somehow found out about me and Roy and…” His shoulders shook as he squeezed his eyes shut. “How did he even find out? We were so careful over summer, things were going so well.”

Wiping away a tear that had slipped out, she gave him a reassuring smile. “You aren’t alone in this anymore. We'll figure this out.”

With Barbara, he was actually able to sort of believe it, so he gave her a smile, and hoped it wasn’t too shaky. “Just please don't tell Roy. I'm worried he’ll do something rash and make it so much worse.”

Before Barbara could reply, she stilled as she heard footsteps approaching. Moving as quickly as she could, she took her hair out of it’s ponytail, grabbed Wally’s hands to place it in her hair, and dragged his face to her neck. “Follow my lead. I'm not going to give your dad more excuses today, and he needs to trust me. Understand?”

Wally gave a small nod, and she let out a little moan just as the door opened. Her eyes were wide as she looked at his dad. After making sure Wally was composed, she moved back and gave him a wide smile. “Mr. West!” She shook her hair and tugged at her clothes, nervously. “Sorry, we must have gotten a bit carried away.”

“No, no it’s fine. I understand. But if you’re going to be dating my son, please call me Rudy.” He smiled at her, but it looked more like a leer that made her want to jump out of her skin.

“Right, Rudy. I should be getting home. Thank you for letting me see your son.” She stood up from the bed, and finished adjusting herself. Then, she walked over to the door, and turned back to Wally. “See you at the dance on Friday?”

Wally gave a dazed nod which had his dad grinning wider as Barbara gave a final wave and showed herself out. As she left though she scowled as she heard Rudy’s smiling voice.

“I knew no son of mine was a homo! I'm proud of you, son.”

Barbara controlled herself from walking back in and doing something she would regret as she left.

Chapter Text

Jason was waiting after school for Dick, nervously tapping his finger against his thigh as he bit the inside of his cheek. They were supposed to meet before Dick’s cheerleading practice, but it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that Dick had forgotten. It seemed he didn’t though as he spotted Dick, dressed in his cheerleading uniform, and yeah. Jason would never get tired of that sight. He gave Dick a small smile as he neared. “Dickie, looking radiant as always.”

Dick rolled his eyes as he tried to hide just how giddy that comment made him feel. “As much as I enjoy the compliments, I only have a limited time. What did you want to talk about?”

The nervousness was back as Jason bit at his cheek again, lowering his gaze. He was usually so good at hiding this part of him, and what he wanted to ask Dick wasn’t anything different from times before, asking other people to go to dances. But yet again, Dick not only managed to bring out a different side of him, but he also made Jason sort of okay with it. It would be frightening if it wasn’t Dick who was the cause of it.

Letting out a deep breath, he ran his hands through his hair. “I just wanted to ask you… Well, as you know, the dance is coming up…” Lifting his gaze, he saw Dick giving him a knowing smirk, but the bastard just motioned for him to continue, seemingly loving the torture he was putting Jason through. Huffing, he was going to continue, until another voice cut in.

“Hey, Dickie!”

They both turned to see Zatanna Zatara approaching. Head of the cheerleading squad, attractive, flirty. Well, with Dick anyway. And that was still a relatively recent development. When Jason hit on her before, she shot him down because of his reputation. It was an understandable reason, but when Jason was reminded of it, it just added to the annoyance of being interrupted.

Dick didn't seem to be annoyed at all, greeting her with a friendly wave and smile. “Hey, Zee! I'm just about to head to practice, once I'm done talking to Jay, here.”

“Oh, that's fine. I'm not here to push you to practice. I was actually hoping I could talk to you.” She appeared slightly nervous, hands fidgeting behind her back.

Smile faltering, Dick glanced back at Jason. He felt he was about to ask him to the dance, which Dick would absolutely love, and definitely say yes to. “We can talk after I'm done with Jason.”

But then again, maybe he was wrong, since Jason just waved them off with a slight smile. “It’s okay. It was nothing, really.” That was a lie, but Jason felt he knew what Zatanna was going to ask. It was stupid for Jason to think he should be the one to go to the dance with Dick. And he was still supposed to just be friends with him, anyway. Besides, Zatanna was better than him. Dick deserved to go with someone more on his level. More in his league than a liar, a fraud, and someone who was still struggling with his identity. He hadn’t even talked to Roy about the bet, yet. With those reminders, Jason said, “We can talk later.”

Dick’s smile completely disappeared, slight frown taking it’s place. “Are you sure?”

At this point, Jason was so down on himself, he didn't notice the frown, or the sadness in Dick’s voice. The disappointment. No, Jason didn’t notice any of it. He only heard his thoughts.

You had your chance. You fucked it up. Let Dick move on you selfish coward. Just let him be happy.

“Yeah, I'm sure.” Jason gave them a smile he hoped didn’t look too strained as he watched Zatanna grab onto Dick’s hand.

“Thanks, Jason! Sorry for dragging him away,” Zatanna offered with a smile before walking off, and pulling Dick with her.

Jason stared after them, keeping eye contact with Dick until he couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t take staring at what he let slip through his fingers. Shutting his eyes, he took a harsh breath in. Damn, he needed a cigarette, but he had quit. Something he was going to surprise Dick with, since he knew he didn't like the smell. Opening back up his eyes, Jason jabbed a hand through his hair as he kicked a bit at the gravel.

“Am I interrupting something?” Barbara asked as she walked up, knocking Jason out of his angry sulking.

“No. No, I'm just being an idiot. Again.” Wanting things I can’t have. Don't deserve to have. “What’s up?”

Barbara watched him carefully with a meaningful gaze. “Is this about Dick?” Jason looked surprised, eyebrows shooting up and mouth slightly parted, so she shrugged. “It’s obvious you like him. And he’s changing you. Such as getting you to show different parts of yourself, like showing concern for Wally. Which I checked on him, by the way.”

Face turning gravelly serious, Jason straightened up, shoulders tense with worry. “And?”

“It’s bad, Jason. His dad forced him to break up with Roy.” Her expression gave away none of the pain or anger she felt, hoping to keep her promise to Wally.

“I fucking knew it! That piece of shit!” Clenching his fists, he could feel the anger boiling up in him. This time directed at someone other than himself, which would be nice if the circumstances were different.

Barbara worked on calming him down. “I think I have a way to help him- both of them- but you have to calm down. And you can’t tell Roy.”

Her words did nothing to calm him as his eyes flashed with fury. “And why the fuck not? He’s a mess, and if hearing Wally didn’t actually want to break up with him-"

“Because you know how Roy will react, and he’ll probably just make things worse. Just trust me on this.” Seemingly unaffected by his anger, she locked eyes with him and rested her hands on his shoulders. “I know we haven’t been friends in the past. Probably even friendly acquaintances is pushing it. But like I said, I misjudged you. And if you really care about them working out, you need to trust me.”

Even though Jason wanted nothing more than to tell Roy so they could go beat Rudy’s ass, he knew Barbara was right. If anyone could figure it out, it was her. So he decided to trust her. Maybe Dick really was changing him. He nodded, working to get his anger under control. “Okay. If you need anything-"

“You’ll be the first to know.” She gave him a small smile as she stepped back. “You’re a good person, Jason. You should let it out more. And if you need any help with your whole situation with Dick, let me know.” Turning on her heel, she walked off and called out over her shoulder, “See you at the dance on Friday. Should be a fun one!”

Jason scoffed as he gave a small salute back and hopped on his bike. Fun was certainly one word for it. Seeing the guy he was supposed to just be friends with dancing, and hanging around another girl. Jason having to act like it didn't affect him at all. Not to mention all of the drama with Roy and Wally…

Yeah, fun was certainly a word.

---

The rest of the week leading up to the dance was terrible for Jason. News of Dick and Zatanna going to the dance together spread through the school like wildfire. In all of the hallways, classes, hell even at home , people were talking about how Dick and Zatanna were the power couple. That they fit so well together, and were a perfect match. Some more enthusiastic- or stupid people, in Jason’s opinion- even suggested that they were going to be high school sweethearts. It was a miserable couple of days.

He wasn't alone in his misery. Dick also hated all of the rumours, and gossip about him. It’s not that he minded the attention, he was a performer after all. It just hurt him to be reminded he wasn’t going with the person he really wanted to go with. But the decision was made, and it was probably for the best. Dick knew he had this eagerness to jump back into a relationship with Jason. That probably would end badly, and Jason recognized that, giving Dick time to figure out what he wanted. What he actually wanted, once he looked past his reckless enthusiasm. The reasoning helped Dick to feel a bit better, but that was completely shattered when he found out Jason had found a date to the dance.

They were just friends, though. This was fine. They were fine with it all . At least, that’s what they both kept telling themselves. They even still hung out like friends, like Jason inviting Dick over for a movie night with his family. Of course, when Dick got there, and they all assembled in the home theatre, it was immediately awkward.

Dick sat as far away from Jason as he could, effectively placing Tim and Damian between them. Bruce was supposed to join as well, but five minutes into trying to pick a movie, he suddenly remembered he had some last minute paperwork to file. Nobody really believed the excuse, but it also wasn’t commented on as they finally chose a movie.

Though, fifteen minutes into that, Tim stood up abruptly. “I have some homework to finish,” he weakly mumbled before scurrying off.

The awkward tension was growing, but it was ignored, none of the remaining three saying a word. Two people were too caught up in their thoughts to really talk, anyway. Damian just despised talking during movies, so it was nice for him. Dick and Jason kept stealing not so subtle glances at each other over Damian’s head, but it wasn’t pointed out. That is, until the movie ended.

Damian casually stood, turning off the movie. Both teens made a move to stand as well, and presumably follow Damian so they weren't left alone with each other, but that was quickly shut down.

“That was the most awkward movie watching experience I've ever had the displeasure of being a part of,” Damian said, turning around to face them and crossing his arms.

“You could have left,” Jason protested, though it had no heat behind it. He didn’t even lift his head from where he was leaning it on his fist, elbow on the arm of the movie theatre style seat. He didn’t know if it would have been better, or worse, if Damian had left.

“No, because I'm not a coward that will give a feeble excuse, and run out just because you two refuse to speak to one another. And I suspect it was just as torturous for both of you as it was for me.” Dick felt sheepish at being called out by a kid in middle school, but Jason still seemed unaffected, staring ahead and as still as can be. “You will not follow me, and you will work out whatever… this is,” Damian finished, sending them both a glare before stalking out of the room.

They continued to sit in silence until Jason stood up, cracking his back. “Well, this has been fun. You hungry? I think-"

“We aren’t going to talk about anything?” Dick interrupted, staring up at Jason. It felt weird talking directly to him after almost 2 hours of silence.

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

Dick looked at him disbelievingly. “You heard Damian. We need to-"

Now, it was Jason’s turn to interrupt. “ Please. Demon Spawn hardly scares me,” Jason scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

Damian scared Dick, but best not to let that little piece of information slip. “Be that as it may, he has a point. Things have been awkward between us.”

“Have they? I didn't notice.” Jason shrugged, and turned as if to leave, but Dick shot up from his seat and grabbed his wrist.

“Fine, you won't talk, I will.” He quickly dropped Jason’s wrist, sitting back down heavily in a chair, and motioning for Jason to sit next to him.

“Wow, you talking. I'm shocked,” Jason replied sarcastically, though, he did still sit down.

Dick shook his head, leaning back in his seat. “Oh yes, like you aren’t a talker.”

“I'm not.” He ignored Dick’s scoff, though he wished they could stay in this banter zone. He really didn’t want to talk to Dick about any of the thoughts haunting him. He didn’t want them confirmed.

Of course, Dick had to ruin it by speaking once again. “You haven’t really talked to me since Zatanna asked me to the dance…” Dick began, unsure how to continue.

“We’re talking now, aren't we?”

Dick gave him an unimpressed look. “You know that isn't what I meant. You haven’t been talking to me about big things. Like finding a date. Kara Danvers, huh?”

Jason sighed, running a hand down his face before resting his head back on the chair. “I thought it wasn't that important. Everyone knows her and I had a relationship a few years back.” She was actually one of the few people he was still friends with after their breakup. Unlike most of his failed relationships, it was a mutual thing. It was a good thing too, since their families are friends. It would have made things a bit awkward.

Originally, Jason wasn’t even planning on going to the dance. Maybe stay home with a good book, and Alfred’s comforting tea instead. But then, he learned Kara was back in town, she was looking to hang out, and she would love to be on tv. So, they decided to go as friends. Though, it could be more than that if seeing Dick and Zatanna together proved to be too much. Kara had already offered a friends with benefits situation. An offer Jason might just accept. It would be a good distraction, that's for sure.

It was at this point, he realized Dick had started talking again. “It’s important to me. I want to know what’s going on with you. And I didn’t know. I’m still technically the new kid, and someone isn’t very forthcoming about his past relationships.” He said it as teasing, but he was honestly grateful for it. He didn’t know if he could take hearing the sordid details of Jason’s past relationships. Even if they aren’t dating anymore. “I just want you to be happy, Little Wing. Are you happy?”

Fuck no. “Yeah. I'm happy, Dickie. Are you?”

Not even close . “I’m happy.” Dick prided himself on that actually sounding slightly convincing. It was a double victory when he managed a smile. “The dance will certainly be unforgettable, huh?”

Well, he wasn't wrong.

Chapter Text

The dance started out alright. Barbara and Wally were the first to arrive out of their friends. Though, immediately Barbara could tell Wally was kind of uncomfortable, tugging at his suit sleeves, making sure he was covered. So, she dragged him off over to the side of the stage that was set up in the middle of the gymnasium where there were less people. That seemed to help until Roy walked in. With another girl hanging off his arm. As soon as Wally saw that, he excused himself and ran to the bathroom.

Barbara wanted to follow him, but Wally insisted he was fine, and just needed some time to compose himself. She needed to move on helping him, but it was taking an annoying amount of time. As soon as she let her dad in on it, at first he didn’t even entirely believe her.

“But Rudy is such a respected member of the community! He brings donuts by the station every Monday, he helps organize community functions. And I’ve always seen Wally happy, and healthy,” her father said, setting his newspaper down on the kitchen table to look fully at his daughter.

Barbara stared back defiantly. “I know what I saw, dad! I wouldn’t lie about this, you know I wouldn’t. Wally’s scared to speak out because no one will believe him. He needs us.”

Jim looked at his daughter, the determination shining in her expression causing him to sigh. He knew his daughter wouldn’t lie about something this severe. And he could admit Rudy had been a little different after Mary died.  He thought it was just normal grieving but… “We’ll need to build a case against him. A strong one. If we don’t do this right, he’ll walk. And we’ll make some powerful enemies in the process.”

After that, he tried to talk Barbara out of helping since getting involved with Rudy directly could be dangerous for her. But she insisted, saying that their best chance of getting evidence was by her going undercover in a way. She could handle herself, and if it helped Wally, she was more than willing to do it. She just wished she could do something now, sighing as she stayed by the stage, and waited for him to return. She distracted herself by watching the crew setting up the cameras.

“Date ditch you?”

Barbara turned towards the voice to see a young woman, not much older than her standing there. She was just wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but the headset and clipboard in her hands helped to explain that a bit. Barbara still thought she looked gorgeous, even in her casual getup.

Offering her a smile, Barbara shook her head. “No, he’s just going through some stuff and needed time to regroup.” Barbara looked at her clipboard and headset pointedly. “So, you part of the crew?”

“Part of it? This is my production! Just graduated from this place last year, and now I'm already back.” She pretended to wipe a tear away. “Dreams really do come true.”

Barbara let out a light laugh. “Sounds like it. Does production manager have a name?”

The woman smiled, sticking out a hand as her other balanced her clipboard against her hip. “Dinah Lance, at your service. And you?”

“Barbara Gordon,” she replied, shaking her hand. “So, if I don’t look good on camera, I know who to talk to?”

“I guess so. Though, I highly doubt that will be the case.” Her smile turned a bit flirty, and Barbara returned it.

“Production manager and a flirt? You truly are a woman of many talents. Be still my heart.” Barbara patted her heart and fluttered her eyes which earned her a laugh and a wink from Dinah.

“You know it.” Holding up a finger, she tuned into her headset, and pulled up her clipboard. “Okay, have Mark get on it, and I'll be right there.” She flashed Barbara an apologetic smile. “Sorry, duty calls. Save a dance for me?”

Barbara hummed as she pretended to think it over. “I guess, even though you are woefully underdressed.”

“You are too gracious, Barbara Gordon. I'll see you later then." She flashed her one last grin before turning and walking away.

Smiling to herself, Barbara watched her go. It slipped a bit though when she realized Wally was still gone, so she left to go find him.

The night got slightly worse when Raven and Kori approached Roy, asking about his date.

“Oh, this is Jade,” he replied, tugging Jade in that bit closer. She looked annoyed at that, but still managed to give Kori and Raven a polite smile.

“Roy’s told me a lot about his friends. Apparently, there’s been a bit of… tension?” she asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.

“Yeah, you could say that.” Raven crossed her arms, sending Roy a pointed look. She wondered just how much Roy had told this virtual stranger about his personal problems. About Wally.

“Yeah, I just figured it was time to try to move on. That is what Wally told me, right?” He slung his arm around Jade’s shoulders, who’s smile turned strained.

Raven and Kori shared a look before giving Jade their own smiles. “We’re just going to talk to Roy for a bit, if you would excuse us,” Kori said, before pulling Roy aside.

“If this is some lecture about how this isn't fair to Wally, he’s the one that broke up with me, in case you forgot.” He crossed his arms and shifted his stance, obviously on defense.

“So, you’re really doing this out of your want to move on? Not pettiness?” It was obvious by Raven’s tone of voice and expression that she didn't believe him.

Kori saw Roy getting angry so quickly stepped in. “I think what Raven is trying to say is, we don't want you to unintentionally hurt yourself, or Wally even more. It’s obvious you’re still in pain, and you need more time to-"

“I didn't ask either of you for your opinion! I know what I'm doing. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm neglecting my date.” Roy glared at both of them before walking back over to Jade.

Dick ended up arriving with Zatanna just as the dance was getting into full swing. He tried to not make it too obvious he was searching for Jason, but he couldn’t help but look. Even if it did just cause him more pain, he wanted to rip it off like a bandaid. The sooner he actually saw Jason with another girl, the sooner he would feel the hurt, and the sooner it would go away. At least he hoped that’s how it would work.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t being as entirely stealthy as he thought. Zatanna looked over at him, resting a hand on his arm. “Are you looking for someone?”

“Oh, uh. No. Just looking around, checking out the dance floor. There sure are a lot of cameras.” He smirked, grabbing her hand and kissing the back of it. “I'm sure they’ll want all the attention on you. Have I mentioned how beautiful you look?”

Giggling, she playfully hit his shoulder with her free hand. “Only about a hundred times since you picked me up.” She pulled her hand away so she could link their arms instead. “But, I don’t mind hearing it a few more times.”

“Good, then we’re in agreement.”

Zatanna smiled before dragging him off to the dance floor.

Outside of the gym, Jason just got done explaining his situation to Kara. He figured it was fine since she was kind of an outside entity, given she was homeschooled, and only popped into town occasionally. Usually, she stuck to Metropolis. She would keep his secrets if he asked her to, and he would feel terrible if he led her on. Even if he did promise himself to just stay friends with Dick, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t still try to change. That included letting Kara in on his conflicted feelings, so she wouldn't get hurt in the long run.

Nodding, Kara cast her gaze downwards, mouth twisted to the side in thought. “Well, you’re an idiot.”

“Gee, thanks for that.” Jason rolled his eyes, running a hand through his hair.

Kara smiled as she looked back up. “Just stating facts. But seriously, thank you for telling me, Jay. And my offer still stands.” She laughed at Jason’s surprised look. “We already tried the relationship thing. It didn’t exactly work out for us. So I'm not against just keeping up with our friends with benefits situation. Especially if it helps you get through whatever this is. You really should just talk to the guy though.”

Jason heaved a resigned breath as he shrugged. “I just don’t want to hurt him more. I’m not good for him, Kara. He deserves someone better than me.”

“Oh, Jason. You are so ridiculous sometimes.” Shaking her head, she twisted her arm around his. “It’s ultimately your decision, but I would just like to restate that you are an idiot.”

Kara’s words helped Jason to feel better than he had about the whole situation in a while. She knew the whole story, and was still fine with it. She was fine with being that distraction for Jason, helping him to move on. Hopefully, with time, he could just be Dick’s friend, and be fine with it. Huffing out a laugh, he tugged her in slightly closer against his side. “Ready to show up fashionably late? Make everyone jealous?”

“Definitely,” she responded with a laugh of her own as Jason opened the gym doors, and led them inside.

When the doors opened, Dick was standing over by the snack table, taking a break from dancing as he and Zatanna talked to the rest of the cheerleading squad. He was keeping up with the conversation, adding in his thoughts when appropriate, but his eyes kept traveling over to the doors, wondering when Jason was going to show up. So when he finally did walk through the doors, smile on his lips and Kara laughing as she held onto his arm, Dick perked up despite himself.

The sight hurt him so much more than he thought it would. Jason looked good. Really, really good. His suit looked tailor made to fit him, the lines accentuating his figure perfectly. And to actually see him with Kara hurt more. There was no denying they were an attractive couple.

Across the gym, Jason found Dick’s gaze, and gave him a friendly wave. He prided himself on that since what he actually wanted to do was head over and kiss Dick senseless. He usually looked amazing, but Dick in a suit was beyond anything he could have imagined.

Kara noticed the staring and nudged his arm. “Aren’t you gonna go say hi?”

“You don’t think that would be… I don’t know, awkward or something?”

“Oh yeah, absolutely. But he is still your friend. You’ll have to push past the awkward moments to get to the friendship again.” With determination, she began dragging Jason over to Dick, surprisingly strong for being smaller than him.

Dick began panicking a bit as he saw Jason approach. He wasn’t prepared for this at all. He tried to distract himself by pouring himself some punch and taking a sip, but it didn’t really help.

Out of the corner of her eye, Zatanna noticed Dick’s freaking out and grabbed his hand. “You okay?”

He opened his mouth to tell her, but he didn’t need to as Kara greeted them.

“Hey, Dick, right? And… Zatanna? Jason’s told me a lot about both of you.” She smiled at both of them before grabbing a cupcake off of the snack table.

Dick and Jason were too busy staring at each other, but luckily, Zatanna kept the conversation going with a light laugh. “Hopefully all good things.”

Kara took a bite of her cupcake and nodded. “I think he was favorable. Right, Jay?” she asked, elbowing him lightly.

Jason momentarily looked like a deer caught in headlights. “Right. I, um. Right. Good things.”

Snorting in amusement, Kara shook her head. “Well put.” A fast dance song started playing, and Kara’s eyes lit up. “Want to dance?” She wiggled her eyebrows at Jason, but he just rolled his eyes.

“No.” Jason was not a dancer. At least not in front of this many people. And cameras. Cameras were a no.

“Well, I'm going,” Kara declared, finishing up her cupcake.

Zatanna placed her cup of punch down. “I'll join you. You coming, Dick?”

Dick was torn between talking with Jason, or taking the out and fleeing the conversation. But they were supposed to be friends. Friends could talk to friends, right? “I'm gonna talk to Jason for a bit, you two go on ahead.”

Shrugging, Zatanna and Kara took off, leaving Jason and Dick in a tense silence. Though, that just pointed out that the fast dance song playing was a love song. Which made them both feel even more awkward.

Unable to take it anymore, Jason decided to break it. “You look great.” Damn, if that didn't sound awkward coming out of his mouth.

“You too.” Dick’s lips quirked up in a little half smile that somehow looked more strained than anything else. “Kara seems nice.”

“She is. And you and Zatanna seem friendly. There any truth to those rumours going around? You two being together for life?” He smirked, but was disgusted with himself when he kept hoping for Dick to say no. He was supposed to be happy for his friend. God Jason, get it together.

“Who knows?” Dick looked off towards the dance floor, Zatanna moving with skill, even throwing in some cheerleading moves to help. He couldn’t deny they got on well, and he did like her, but he just wasn’t sure of anything really. All he knew was he was still way too into Jason for his own good. “I'll just have to see where things go, I guess.”

Jason nodded as they fell into a silence again. Finally Dick said, “I'm gonna go join them. You coming?”

“You know I don't dance.”

Dick did not know that. He knew Jason danced exceptionally well. He was just bashful about it for some reason. Not when it was just the two of them. Never when it was just the two of them.

Dick looked up at the sunset, sighing as he leaned back in the warm sand. His fingers curled in it, feeling nice against the cool breeze. “It’s beautiful, isn't it?”

Turning away from the sunset, Jason gazed at Dick with a small smile as he agreed. “Yeah. It is.” There were a few moments of silence as Dick tried to will his blush down before he noticed Jason standing up and extending a hand out to him. “Dance with me?”

Dick blinked at his hand before lifting his eyes to Jason’s. “We don’t have any music.”

“I know,” Jason said with a grin before flexing his fingers, encouraging Dick to take his hand.

Chuckling, Dick grasped his hand and allowed himself to be pulled up. Once he was standing, Jason began humming. Dick was confused, then shocked as he started leading him through various dances. Salsa, waltz, and the tango, with Jason humming various songs all the while. Though it was slightly ruined with Dick’s laughter drowning it out. Eventually, they settled into just a light sway, Jason’s hands at his waist, and his arms around Jason’s neck. He could tell he was still humming and could feel the vibrations of it against his jaw with his head resting against Jason’s shoulder.

“Where in the world did you learn to dance like that?” Dick asked, letting his eyes slip closed as Jason chuckled.

“I had to learn for the various galas, events, and functions I'm forced to attend. Looks like all that torture finally paid off.”

“So, the lessons were all worth it?”

Jason stared down at Dick with a fond look as he pressed a kiss to his head.

“Definitely.”

The memory made Dick downcast, and nostalgic for a relationship that seemed to be drifting further and further away from him. He decided it probably was for the best Jason didn't agree to dance, he needed the space. He definitely didn’t need more reminders. So, with a tiny smile, he left to go join his date.

As Jason leaned against the wall, he watched Dick hesitantly move to the music before getting into it, steps perfectly in time to the beat. The music seemed to flow through him and it was obvious he was a talented dancer. He also knew how to please the crowd, adding in extra flair and moves. It got worse when he actually started dancing with Zatanna. It was hard to look away, which apparently the rest of the crowd agreed, given many people had stopped dancing to watch, and the cameras were focused in on them. Twirling around the dance floor, there were huge grins on both of their faces as they focused on each other.

“Instead of scowling, you could just join in the fun, you know,” Artemis commented as she leaned against the wall next to Jason.

“I didn't even realize I was scowling.” He scrubbed a hand down his face. “But I shouldn’t join them. They’re dancing, having fun. He can dance with whoever he wants, I'm not here with him. I’d just… fuck him up anyway.” He pushed down the thought that popped in his head that said that could describe their whole relationship.

Artemis snorted and rolled her eyes. “Well, I was talking about joining your actual date, but sure.”

Jason groaned as he realized he was so  stupid sometimes. Of course she was talking about Kara. Why would he think she was talking about Dick? “I just… My brain is a scramble right now, Arte. Just ignore me.”

“Yeah, I can tell. But I'll give you some advice anyway. I’ve seen you dance, Jay. You aren’t bad at all. Especially when you really get into it? You get people drooling all over you.” She focused back in on Dick and shrugged. “You could easily keep up with him, give Zatanna a run for her money. Besides, don't you want to change the friendship status? To do that, you gotta take some chances.”

“But we’re not even here together. That would be… I don’t know.” Rude seemed like the wrong word, but he couldn’t help but feel like that’s exactly what it was. Rude to Zatanna, rude to Kara even if she knew everything, and rude to Dick who was just trying to move on with his life.

“Friends can dance together too, Jay. Besides, he keeps glancing over here every five seconds. Pretty sure he wants to dance with you, too.”

“No he’s not.” That couldn’t be right. Jason was watching Dick, and he just seemed focused entirely on Zatanna. Now that he was looking though, he saw that Artemis was absolutely right. He was glancing over pretty frequently.

Artemis didn’t even try to hide her grin. “Told ya so. Now get out there! Show him what you got!”

Humming, Jason debated with himself, smiling when Dick caught his eye one of the times he looked over and flashed him a small grin. “Maybe.” He looked over at Artemis as he asked, “What are you doing over here though? Shouldn’t you be with Meg?”

She didn’t give a response, and instead motioned with her head towards the dance floor. Megan was dancing with Kori, while Raven was talking to Barbara at the snack table. “She tried to drag me into dancing too, but luckily Kori saved me.”

“Yet here you are, pushing me to dance. You are such a fucking hypocrite.” Laughing, he nudged her with his elbow while she smirked in return.

“Meg and I are already dating. You are still trying to get back together with Dick for that stupid bet, right?” Jason looked surprised that she knew which got him an eye roll. “You really think Roy wasn’t going to tell the rest of us?”

“Of course he told.” Jason shook his head and leaned it back against the wall.

Artemis’s expression turned serious as she gazed at Jason. “You are aware this will probably blow up in your face, right? You'll probably end up hurting him, even when you do ‘let him down easy.’”

Jason was silent as he stared up at the ceiling, before quietly saying, “He already knows. About the bet.”

Eyebrows raising, it was Artemis who was now shocked. “You told him? Does that mean the bet’s off? Have you told Roy?”

“Yes, I told him. The bet is absolutely off, and no. I haven't talked to Roy yet. It just never seems like the right time.” He closed his eyes, hating feeling like such a fucking coward.

“You’re scared to, you mean.” Jason had gone quiet again, causing her to sigh. “No one cares, Jay. So you actually like a guy more than you have before. If you want to change, that’s fine! Don’t miss out on a great guy, just for that.”

Jason shook his head, rubbing at his head. “That’s not the reason. He doesn’t trust me. And he shouldn’t. I've fucked up too much. I'm just gonna support him, like I should have originally.” He always knew he couldn’t handle a relationship. It was naive of him to think Dick would be any different.

There was silence from Artemis this time, prompting Jason to open his eyes and look over at her. There was a mixture of sadness and understanding in her gaze. “You never give yourself enough credit. You’re a great guy that Dick would be lucky to be with. Just figure out what you want, before you both miss out.” She gave him a reassuring pat to the shoulder before walking off to join her girlfriend by the snack table.

Once she left, he resumed watching Dick and Zatanna sway around the dance floor. What did he want? It was hard to say. Okay, maybe not that hard. He wanted Dick- which was an unintentional pun that the other teen would probably absolutely love- but he tried not to think on that. This was serious. He may want him, but he had to consider Dick’s feelings in this. Above all, Jason just wanted Dick to be happy. And that was best accomplished without Jason in that equation. Dick’s future happiness was with someone that was decidedly not him. With this revelation, he looked towards the dance floor again, and Dick certainly looked happy. He told Jason he was happy. So, he would accept that.

God, he needed a cigarette.

And he had a pack in the car.

When he borrowed the car from Bruce’s garage to take to the dance, he grabbed his last pack. He may have quit, but it was difficult to give up carrying the thing around. Old habits die hard and all that. With one last longing look towards the dance floor, towards Dick, he turned and left the gym.

Dick saw Jason leave, and wanted to go after him, but that wasn’t his place. Not anymore. He looked over to Kara, but she hardly seemed concerned, maybe not even noticing as she danced with Kori and Megan.

Once outside, Jason leaned against his car as he lit up his cigarette. Taking a drag, he tipped his head back, appreciating the cool night air. It helped to clear his thoughts a bit.

The peace and quiet of the parking lot was shattered as a car pulled up, Miriam and Catalina waving once Jason looked over. Great, this was exactly what he needed right now. “Aren’t you two a bit old for a high school dance?”

“I heard you could find romance at these things. Are you denying me romance?” Catalina asked, hopping out of the car.

“Yes. When it’s with high school students. A bit old for them, aren’t you?” Jason lazily said, trying not to show how tense he was as he took another drag.

Catalina crossed her arms as Miriam also stepped out of the car. “Exactly how old do you think I am?”

Jason looked her over before shrugging. “70? 75, maybe?” He didn’t actually think that, of course. Catalina was hot, but he wasn’t giving her the satisfaction of knowing that.

There was a brief flicker of anger that passed by her expression before she flicked her hand. “Talk to him Miriam. I'm going inside.” She sauntered off, throwing open the gym doors before disappearing inside.

Stamping out the rest of his cigarette, Jason figured he should go after her. He didn’t really think she would do anything, but-

Wait.

Dick.

Eyes going wide, Jason pushed away from the car, and was about to head back inside but was stopped by Miriam. “Where are you going? I have news for you, from the boss. About the race?”

“What is it, then? I don’t have all night.” His unease was growing the longer Catalina was out of his sight. The longer Dick was on his own. Which he knew was ridiculous; Dick could take care of himself. But Dick also didn’t know just how dangerous Catalina could be.

“Aw, Jason. Where are your manners? What would your father say?” She shook her head disapprovingly, before perking up again. “How is Brucie, by the way?”

“Moved on from you. Haven't you heard about his new relationship?”

Miriam rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips. “Please. Like that will last.”

“I don’t know. Seems pretty serious to me.” Jason glared back at her as the doors opened once again, Roy, Raven and Artemis joining the two in the parking lot.

“There a problem here?” Roy asked, coming to a stop next to Jason as he scowled at Miriam.

“We saw Catalina come in, so we came out to find you,” Artemis quietly explained, eyes never leaving Miriam.

Jason couldn’t help but ask, “Dick’s okay, right?”

Raven sent him a knowing look. “Last we saw him, he was.”

That helped the stress a bit, but Jason still wouldn’t feel better until he saw Dick for himself. He wanted to wrap this up, but Miriam decided to be a chatterbox. “Roy! Heard about your breakup. It’s so sad.” She clicked her tongue, mock sympathy on her face. “Still a mystery how that little secret got out. You should have been a bit more careful, huh?”

There was a look of utter shock on Roy’s face before it shifted to cold, hard fury. He let out a yell, that actually sounded a bit broken as Raven and Artemis both had to struggle to hold him back. Jason stepped between the two, trying to stop a fight from breaking out. His heart ached for his best friend, and for Wally, but he needed to keep a level head here.

“Would you get to your fucking point, and leave!? It’s bad enough you bother us at all, but here? Now?!” Jason was sure they were just out to ruin his life at this point, giving him way too much stress, way too early in his life.

“You are such a killjoy, Jay.” Miriam leaned against the car, stuffing her hands in her pockets. “Joker wants to change the rules. To no rules.”

“Fuck that! He almost kills us enough when there are rules!” Roy argued, pulling away from Raven and Artemis to try to talk some sense into his friend. He may be furious at Miriam right now, but concern for Jason won out. It always would. “You can’t be considering this. He might kill you, Jason. Actually kill you.”

Lowering his gaze, Jason ran through his options, but it was hard to think with the worry for Dick still present and pushing at the back of his mind. He tried not to ignore his instincts, and right now, they were going crazy. Besides, this was supposed to be their last race anyway. “I'll do it. But then that’s it! We’re out, and he leaves us alone. You all do, got it?”

“Whatever you say, Jay.” Pulling out a stick of gum, she popped it in her mouth and began chewing, probably just to be more obnoxious. “I'm sure the boss will be very pleased.”

His friends all flashed him worried looks, but he ignored them all. He was the leader of the T-Birds, he knew they would go along with him. At the current moment, he needed to focus on getting to Dick. Now.

Back inside, Dick was still dancing on the dance floor while Zatanna and Kara decided to take a break. Focusing on the music, and dance steps helped to clear his mind. Keep him distracted from his torturous thoughts. His groove was interrupted though, by arms wrapping around his waist. He turned around to tell the person he wasn’t interested, only for a beautiful woman to smile at him, and place a finger to his lips to shush his argument.

“Hermoso. Now, who might you be? I'm Catalina,” she practically purred as she played with the buttons of his dress shirt. She swayed him, completely ignoring the fast song playing.

Dick tried to politely pull away but she just seemed to tighten her hold. “You seem nice, and don't take this the wrong way but-”

Pressing her finger more firmly against his lips, Catalina silenced him with a sly grin. “Shh. It’s okay, I'm just keeping you company while my partner has a little chat with some associates outside. There’s nothing wrong with us getting to know each other, is there?”

Glancing towards the doors, Dick wondered if Jason was okay. He could certainly handle himself, but Dick couldn’t help but worry. Catalina didn't do anything too bad, but he still felt something off about her, and didn't feel entirely comfortable being alone with her. He could only imagine this ‘partner’ she was talking about would be the same. Fingers grabbed onto his chin and turned him back to face her. “I never caught your name.” Her nails lightly scratched his jaw, causing him to involuntarily shudder, which made her grin wider.

“I didn't give it.”

She was going to say something, but was abruptly pulled away. Jason stood between her and Dick, glaring as he growled out, “Leave him alone, Catalina.”

Catalina seemed unaffected as she continued to smirk at him. “I was just getting to know your friend here. He’s cute. You shouldn’t keep that all to yourself.”

Continuing to glare, Jason barely registered a hand grabbing onto his, and tugging. “I agreed to the Joker’s stupid terms. Dick has nothing to do with this, so you stay away from him.”

“Oh, but see, Jason. You dragged him into this when you decided to be friends with him.” She stepped closer, trailing a finger down Jason’s chest. “And now that it’s obvious how much you care for him, well… He’s fair game.”

Dick tugged Jason away before he could hit her, and led him off to a secluded corner of the gym. He noticed Jason was still glaring off at the dance floor, so he gently cupped his face, and turned it towards him. “It’s okay, just forget about her.”

As he gazed into Dick’s eyes, he couldn’t help but think if Catalina was right. That he unintentionally dragged Dick into danger, and now he was in Catalina’s sights. Temporarily forgetting himself, Jason let out a deep breath, and rested his forehead against Dick’s. “Be careful around her. All of the Jokers are dangerous.”

Dick was surprised at the action, but quickly went along with it, leaning into the affection and enjoying it while he could. “I can handle myself, Jay. I just didn't want to cause a scene in the middle of the dance floor.” Letting his eyes close, he rubbed Jason’s cheeks with his thumbs. He wasn’t sure when he would have this chance again.

After a few more seconds, Jason seemed to come to his senses and abruptly pulled back, Dick’s hands falling to his sides. He gave Dick an unreadable look. “Can I talk to you? Outside?”

Confused, Dick nodded, as he led the way out. He didn’t notice Zatanna staring after them.

Once they were outside, Dick noticed Jason pull out a cigarette. “I thought you quit,” he said, voice strangely flat before gazing up at the night sky.

“I did,” Jason answered, giving no explanation beyond that as he lit the cigarette. He tried to gather his thoughts as he took a long drag, watching the smoke curl into the air. He eventually settled on, “I'm sorry.”

Brow furrowing, Dick turned his head to look fully at Jason, who was staring straight ahead. “For what?”

“For getting you involved in this shit.” He glanced at Dick out of the corner of his eye before dropping his gaze to his feet and taking another pull from the cigarette. “I would hate it if you got hurt because of me.”

“Everyone else seems just fine. I'm sure-"

“It’s different, for me.” He gave a sardonic grin, lifting his eyes toward the sky. “The Joker has some weird vendetta against Bruce. I think it’s because Bruce is interfering with his operations, trying to clean up the slums of Gotham. And me, being me, I challenged him directly, giving him a perfect person to get at that will be a blow to Bruce at the same time.” He finally brought his gaze over to Dick. “They’ll use you to get to me, which in turn will get to Bruce. They use any method they can, Dick.”

“I’m not afraid.” When Jason scoffed, he moved slightly closer. “I’m not. I already told you, I can protect myself. And when I can’t, I have you. And of course our other friends. We can protect each other from a couple of low level thugs.”

Jason shook his head, flicking the ash from his cigarette. “You just don't get it. The Joker put me in a coma. Twice. Two separate incidents he came close to killing me. That’s not even counting all the other times he tried, those are just the most serious. He’s dangerous, Dick. Getting close to me, is dangerous and I’m so sorry I didn't realize it before.”

It was at this point, seeing that absolute vulnerability in Jason’s face, and his tired, broken voice, Dick knew he needed to set the record straight. He couldn’t just be friends with Jason. “Jason, There’s something-"

He was cut off by the sound of the doors opening to the gym. Zatanna walked out, and he immediately felt guilty for forgetting about her. “There you two are. They’re playing the final two songs of the night. I would like to dance with my date,” she said, almost bashfully as she folded her hands behind her back, but they both saw her eyes were fierce and determined, daring them to argue.

Dick felt guilty for just leaving her, so figured his talk with Jason would just have to wait. One more night wouldn’t hurt. He flashed Jason a look, to which the other teen sighed and snubbed out his cigarette. “We can talk later. I should get back to Kara.”

They all made their way back inside and to the dance floor, just as the final slow dance came on.

Dick and Zatanna were silent as they gently moved together. Until Zatanna whispered, “You still like him.”

It wasn’t a question so Dick didn't bother to deny it. “I'm sorry, Zee.”

She pulled back slightly with a sad little uptick of her lips. “It’s okay, Dickie. I understand. Just give me one more dance?” That Dick could definitely could do as he pulled her back in. “I hope things work out for you.”

Dick wasn’t entirely sure how to respond, so he just tightened his grip, losing himself in their movements.

Jason looked over to see them dancing closely together, and quickly looked away. The ache was unbearable, and Jason just wanted it to stop. That’s when he decided to ask Kara, “You want to come over tonight?”

“Let’s get out of here.” Leaning back, Kara grinned up at him before tugging him towards the exit.

At the start of the song, Raven and Artemis had left Roy with his date to go dance with their own. Roy watched them from the side of the gym, standing next to Jade.

“Are we going to dance?” Jade grit out, obviously annoyed that her date kept leaving her.

Roy just shook his head and continued watching the couples on the dance floor. Even Barbara was dancing with one of the crew members. He sighed, completely ignoring the glare he was receiving from Jade. There was only one person he actually wanted to dance with. He scanned the many faces and students, stopping when he came across familiar green eyes staring at him. They only locked eyes for a few fleeting seconds before Wally turned away, and walked out to the parking lot.

“You should just leave him alone, you know,” Jade commented as she examined her nails.

Roy let out a dry laugh as he shook his head. “You are the only one that’s said that. Besides Wally that is. Everyone else said I need to talk to him.”

“Well, he broke up with you, didn’t he? And I’ve heard the rumours. People were saying that he heard him talking about just trying to get to your money.” Jade looked over at him with a shrug. “It’s no secret Oliver Queen is rich, and it makes sense, doesn’t it? He breaks up with you after he realizes he isn’t getting any of it.”

“That’s not what happened!” Roy grit his teeth, angry people were getting everything so wrong. Sure, he didn't know entirely why Wally broke up with him, but he would never do something like that, Roy was sure of it.

Jade put up her hands in surrender. “I’m just telling you what I heard.”

Roy tried to push down his anger as he quickly made a decision, and once again left Jade to follow Wally. When he got out to the parking lot, he saw him leaning against a car, head tipped back with his eyes closed. He cautiously approached, but stopped before he got too close, keeping his distance. “Wally?”

Wally let out a heavy sigh before opening his eyes and looking at Roy. “Shouldn’t you be with your date?”

“Shouldn’t you be with yours?” Roy shot back, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He almost immediately regretted the words and harsh tone, but he also didn’t do anything to take them back.

Looking down at his feet, Wally shrugged. Barbara had asked if he wanted to dance, but he wasn’t really feeling it anyway, so he let her go dance with someone who was.

There was an ensuing silence, one that was just on the verge of awkward until Roy quietly pleaded, “Please, just talk to me. Jason said you were okay, but-"

“Why won't you get it through your thick head that I don't want to be with you?” Wally snapped, bringing his head up to glare at Roy. “I don't care about you. I never did. You were just a weird experimental phase that I've moved on from.” He turned his head away from Roy as the echoed words of his dad fell out with surprising ease.

Roy looked absolutely devastated as he tried to argue the words. “That’s not-"

“It is! Just... accept it.” There was definitely a slight tremble to his voice but it could be explained away as anger, rather than the heartbreak it was.

At a loss for words, Roy opened his mouth to say something- anything- to help the situation. But before he uttered a single word, Barbara was there, appearing next to Wally.

“Is everything okay here?” She asked, eyes darting between the two boys.

Roy was the one to speak up. “Yeah… I was just leaving.” He gave one last pained look to Wally before softly saying, “I won't try to talk to you again." He turned and walked off.

Barbara shifted her gaze to Wally, tone sympathetic. “Are you alright?”

Wally tore his gaze away from where Roy had gone, and nodded before getting into the car. “I’m fine. Let’s just go.”

Biting her lip, Barbara got into the driver's seat. As she started up the car, she wondered how the night had gotten so bad. She hoped she would be able to help both of them soon enough.

Chapter Text

After dropping Zatanna back off, and finally heading home, Dick changed into pajamas before heading off to sleep. That is, he tried to sleep. But as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was wide awake, brain replaying the dance in his head. Then, what if scenarios started filtering in. What if he had kept talking to Jason instead of dancing with Zatanna? What if he had just admitted to his feelings before, and took that risk in trusting Jason? What if he had at least had one dance with the guy? The regret and questions had him tossing and turning in bed.

Eventually, he gave up and just stared at the ceiling. His mind was racing, never staying on one thought for too long. Until his brain plucked out a memory it deemed worthy of lingering on.

Jason kept glancing over at Dick, who was happily chewing on his cotton candy as they walked along the pier. “You ever feel like we’re in a stereotypical teen romance movie?”

“Definitely,” he replied around his current mouthful. Once he swallowed, he looked over at Jason. “All we need is the stereotypical kiss by the sunset or at the top of the Ferris wheel.”

“You really want our first kiss to be stereotypical?”

Dick looked like he was about to reply, but shut his mouth as he actually thought about it, lips pursing. “You know, I was going to deny it, but I actually probably wouldn’t be totally against that. Or maybe a Lady and the Tramp type kiss. You know, share a plate of spaghetti, you roll the last meatball over to me type thing.”

“Why do you get the last meatball?” Jason crossed his arms, coming to a stop by the roller coaster.

Stopping in front of him, Dick finished off his cotton candy with a laugh. “Because I'm obviously Lady in this relationship. And being the gentleman you are, you would give me the last meatball.”

Jason gave a derisive snort as Dick threw away his trash, and they made their way to the line. “Fuck that, I'm totally taking the last meatball for myself. Sorry, Dickie.”

“Rude, Jay. Very rude.” Dick tossed him a playful glare, moving forward in line. “Honestly though, I just want my first kiss to be memorable, you know?”

Jason’s smirk softened as he threw an arm over Dick’s shoulders. “I know. I'll do my best.”

The line moved fairly quickly, and before long Jason and Dick were sitting in the front seats with the ride beginning to move up the incline. When they were about halfway up, Jason turned in his seat to face Dick, grabbed the back of his neck, and pulled him in for a soft kiss.

Dick let out a sound of surprise, but he quickly got swept away in the kiss as Jason led him through it, eyes fluttering closed. His lips were slightly chapped, but Dick still thought it was perfect, loving the way their lips moved together. It was obvious Jason was trying to keep it chaste, but it still left him dizzy, and all too soon, he was pulling back.

Smirking, Jason took in Dick’s still closed eyes, and slightly parted lips. “Memorable enough for you?”

“That was-" Whatever he was going to say was lost to his scream as his eyes sprang open and the coaster dipped over the first drop. It caused his stomach to flip, and he let out a breathless laugh at the sudden change. Jason was laughing beside him, apparently feeling the same way.

Once they exited the ride, Dick pulled Jason aside, and clutched his shirt. He gave him a grin before pressing their lips together once again. It was ruined though as Jason started laughing.

“I take it I succeeded?” He asked with a cocky smirk.

“Talk less, kiss more,” Dick said as he tried to pull Jason in again.

Bringing his hands to Dick’s hips, Jason happily obliged.

Dick hated his brain at the moment for bringing that memory up. He hated that he could still remember all the sensations. The warm sun, the sounds of the ocean nearby, the smell of deep fried, sugary goodness. Jason’s lips, the feel of them, the hands gripping his waist, the barest hint of stubble scratching against his jaw, the taste of cinnamon, the soft moans and hitched breaths. Dick hated all of it. It was just torturing him at this point.

It was obvious Jason was waiting for some move from him. Maybe if they hung out, just the two of them, Dick could work up the courage to finally admit how he felt. It had seemed easy tonight, outside of the gym. Though, Dick wouldn’t be surprised if he found himself going back on it, for one reason or another.

No, he was done with that. He wanted to find out where they stood. Determination renewed, he picked up the phone and dialed Jason’s number.

---

When Jason got home with Kara, they stumbled in laughing. As they passed by one of the entertainment rooms, Jason couldn’t help but stop as he saw Tim sitting on the floor watching tv and doing homework.

“It’s Friday, Timmy. Why are you doing homework?” Jason asked as he walked in, pulling a laughing Kara in behind him.

Tim glanced at them over his shoulder before turning back to the tv and shrugging. “I figured I would try to get ahead since I had some free time. How was the dance? You two looked like you had fun.”

“It was awesome!” Kara exclaimed as she flopped down on the couch. “But man, are my feet sore.”

Jason rolled his eyes as he kneeled in front of her to take off her heels. “It generally helps to take off the shoes that are bothering you. It can help with that, you know.” Once the heels were off, he sat down on the couch next to her.

Laughing, Kara stretched out, resting her feet on Jason’s lap. “Why take them off myself when I have you?”

“I’m not your servant,” Jason replied, pinching her ankle lightly before rubbing it gently.

Tim had turned around at this point, looking between the two. Jason could see the question in his eyes, but thankfully he let it go. For now. “So, Jason behaved himself?”

That sent Kara into more laughter as Jason glared at his younger brother. “What the fuck kind of question is that?”

Tim shrugged as they heard a disapproving, “Language, Master Jason,” pass by. They all looked toward the doorway, but Alfred was nowhere in sight. They all were used to that by now though, so they easily let it go.

“It’s a legitimate concern,” Tim replied, resting his arms on the coffee table.

“Well, I'll have you know, you little sh- shih tzu,” he paused, waiting for the reprimand, but one never came. So dog breeds were allowed. That was good to know. “The dance was fine. The only real hitch was when Catalina and Miriam showed up.”

Tim looked surprised. “They are aware it’s a high school dance, right?” The couple on the couch nodded, prompting Tim to shake his head. “You gonna tell Bruce?”

Jason thought about it, but he didn’t need Bruce’s help. He could handle this on his own. “Nah. They didn't really do anything. Well, Catalina hit on Dick but besides that.” Tim didn't need to know about the street race. He would just try to talk him out of it, or lecture him, and he didn’t need either of those.

“How is Dick?” Tim asked, resting his elbows on the coffee table, as he leaned forward with a knowing smirk.

“Just fine.” His answer remained terse, which Kara rolled her eyes at.

“He was drooling over him all night.” Jason turned a half-betrayed, half-glare on her for that, but she completely ignored it. “What about you? How did the dinner with Kon and Bruce go?”

Smirk falling, Tim groaned and rested his chin on his folded arms. “It was good. Until Clark showed up. We ended up having a double date with our dads, Kara. Do you have any idea how awkward that is?”

Kara winced in sympathy, and even Jason lost his glare at little, looking more pained than before. “Oof, that’s rough. Sorry.”

“Yeah, well. Kon and I are hanging out tomorrow so, that should be fun.” He shrugged, looking up at the two with his smirk back. “Drooling over him all night, huh?”

And Jason’s glare was back in full force. Kara giggled beside him and nodded. “It’s a wonder that Dick didn't notice.”

“I don't need this right now, from either of you.” Groaning, he rubbed at his head. Thoughts of Dick just filled him with regret. He was supposed to be moving on, not talking about the guy incessantly.

Tim and Kara continued snickering at Jason’s expense until Alfred appeared, holding out a phone. “Call for you, Master Jason.”

Brow furrowing, Jason moved Kara’s feet to the side and stood up. He couldn’t think of who would call him this late. That’s when his mind jumped to worst case scenarios. Something was wrong with Roy. Something was wrong with Wally. Damian was over at a sleepover with Jon, maybe something happened with them? He may act like he didn’t care, but that was still his baby brother.

By the time he actually picked up the phone, he was ready to run out the door at a moment’s notice. “Hello?”

“Hey, Jason.”

Jason’s eyes widened at Dick’s voice filtering through the phone. It didn’t help ease his worry any. “Hey, what’s up? Are you okay?”

“Yeah… why wouldn’t I be?” The genuine confusion helped Jason to finally relax a bit.

“I just wasn’t expecting a call from you so late.” He leaned against the wall outside of the entertainment room, hearing Tim and Kara softly speaking. He drowned them out, focusing on Dick talking once again.

“Right. Sorry, you were probably trying to sleep, or… or something.” Jason could hear the nervousness in Dick’s voice, which surprised him a bit.

“It’s fine. I wasn't sleeping. Just talking to Tim and Kara.”

“Oh.” Now there seemed to be a slight sadness, and disappointment in his voice, which confused Jason even more. “Well, I was just calling to see if you wanted to hang out tomorrow maybe?”

The nervousness was back, and Jason could hear the sheets rustling like he was fidgeting. The image also put it into Jason’s head that Dick was in bed, which led to more than just friendly thoughts so he quickly pushed them away. “Yeah, sure. Drive in movie sound good?” Just a friendly hang out at the movies. Maybe he should invite someone else to make sure he didn’t do something stupid.

“It sounds perfect. I have a show tomorrow, but it ends at 8. That okay?”

There was obvious relief in Dick’s voice that caused Jason to grin and nod. Until he remembered Dick couldn’t actually see him. Clearing his throat, he replied, “Sounds great. I'll pick you up then.” He would try to convince Dick to let him come to the show- he missed seeing him perform- but he wasn’t even expecting this so, he’d take what he could get. He also tried to ignore how much this sounded like setting up a date. “I'll see you tomorrow, then?”

“See you tomorrow.” They hung up, and Jason had a huge smile on his face when he replaced the phone in the cradle. He was relieved that they were still friends. He just needed to remind himself they were just friends. His smile dampened a bit at that as he rejoined Kara and Tim.

They looked up from their conversation as Jason sat back down. “So, who was it?” Kara asked, putting her feet back on his lap.

“Dick. He wants to hang out tomorrow.” He took to absentmindedly rubbing Kara’s ankle.

“Ooh, Jaybird’s got a date!” Kara nudged him with her foot.

Jason sighed, leaning back into the couch. “It’s not a date. I'm not going to fuck up our friendship. I was actually wondering if either of you would join us. Keep me from doing something I'll regret.”

Turning back to his homework, Tim shrugged. “I'll have to talk to Kon, but I think we’ve both had enough of double dates.”

Kara interrupted Jason’s scowling at his brother- it was not a date- by moving to stand up. He looked up at her, questioning. “Come on, let’s go talk.”

Jason knew that couldn’t be good, but he got up regardless. As they walked off, Jason called, “Don’t stay up too late, Timbo!”

“As long as you two keep it down!” Tim yelled back, causing Jason to roll his eyes. He thought that would get a laugh from Kara, but she stayed disturbingly quiet on the walk to his room.

Once they walked in, Jason sat down on his bed, while Kara quietly shut the door. A few moments passed before she softly asked, “What do you want, Jason?” He looked even more puzzled, causing her to sigh and sit next to him. “Do you want to be with Dick, or do you want to move on?”

So that’s what this conversation was about. Dropping his head in his hands, Jason pulled at his hair. He wished someone would come in, and just tell him how things would work out. Tell him what to do. As it stood, he was the one that had to make the decision. “I want the pain to stop.”

“And how do you think you can best accomplish that?” Kara smiled when he looked up at her, reaching over to play with his bangs. “I’m here for you either way, Jay. Just tell me what you want. This is about you right now.”

He always hated when things were about him. It made him feel selfish. He couldn’t just think of himself. There was Dick to also consider. Dick, who seemed so happy with Zatanna tonight. Dick, who still haunted his dreams. All the memories suffocated him if he thought on them too long. “I… I want to move on.”

Smile turning understanding, Kara leaned forward, searching his eyes for any indication he didn’t want this. When there was none, she brushed their lips together. Jason understood she was trying to go slow for his sake, to give him that out, but he couldn’t take slow right now. Not when his heart felt as if it was shattering. But this was best, for everyone involved. At least, he hoped so.

Putting his hands on her hips, he picked her up, and moved her so she was straddling him. He tried to ignore the thought that the hands in his hair weren’t Dick’s. That the pretty moans weren’t his, or the soft thighs Jason could feel clamping tight around his waist. He ignored all of that, instead focusing on tangling his tongue with Kara’s . Putting his hands on Kara’s thighs, and pushing up her dress. His teeth lightly grazing her neck before biting down, just the way Dick always liked it.

And there he went again. Closing his eyes, he pulled back and stilled Kara’s hips from where she was grinding on his leg. “Do you mind if maybe we just stick to making out tonight?”

Kara waited until Jason opened his eyes before giving him a soft smile, and kissing his forehead. “Of course, Jay. Though, you did tease me a bit too much, so if you’ll excuse me, I'll be right back. Gotta compose myself.” She shot him a wink before climbing off his lap and sauntering to his en-suite bathroom.

Once the door was closed, Jason laid back on his bed. It was going to be difficult getting over Dick. And he had agreed to pick him up, spend time with him alone before Kara joined them at the drive in. He would just have her go with him to pick up Dick, but Jason wasn’t going to give up his secret just because he was slightly uncomfortable. Still...

Tomorrow was gonna suck.

---

Jason was there the next day right as Dick’s performance ended. It was just like old times, which just hurt him so he tried to find a distraction from that. Luckily for him, a distraction soon came along. Unfortunately, it came in the form of running into Tim and Conner. He thought he was hidden far enough by the tent, but apparently he didn't take into account Tim’s eagle eyes.

“Jay! What are you doing here? I thought you and Dick were going to the drive in?” Tim narrowed his eyes the tiniest fraction, obviously suspicious. Even Conner looked a bit curious.

Jason tried to think of a viable excuse, but before he could even utter a single syllable, hands popped out from the tent and covered his eyes. “Guess who?” A cheery voice said as Jason pulled away, putting on a shocked expression.

His eyes flicked to Dick- who was luckily still in his complete Nightwing outfit. “Are you upset with me, or-" Dick cut himself off as he fully stepped out from the tent and noticed Tim and Conner there. He settled his gaze back on Jason, cleared his throat, and tried to alter his voice. “Sorry, wrong person.” He tried to walk away after that, and Jason almost laughed. It was cute Dick actually thought that would work.

Tim smiled his brightest smile; the one Jason didn't trust at all. “Wait, Nightwing! I just loved your performance! Can I get an autograph?”

Jason looked at Dick and hoped against hope that he would just politely decline and leave. But of course, Dick smiled and agreed, like Tim wouldn’t figure it out pretty easily. If he hadn’t already. Once Tim had pulled out a notebook and pen- which he apparently carried around- and Dick had signed it, he tried to leave. Again, he was stopped by Tim.

“So, you gonna change and then head to the drive in with Jason?”

Turning around, Dick shifted his gaze to Jason, who gave him a shrug, before looking back to Tim. “I don’t… I already told you, I had the wrong person.”

“Uh huh. I know it’s you, Dick.”

“That isn’t- I’m not-” He sighed as Tim just continued to stare at him, eyebrow raised and arms crossed. “How did you know?”

Tim smirked as he glanced at his older brother. “Jason didn’t tell me, if that's what you're thinking. I figured it out pretty soon after you came over. Then Jason just randomly being here, when he said you were going to the drive in. Plus your voice. And the smile.”

Jason rolled his eyes, not even surprised Tim had figured it out before he looked over at Conner. “You’re being awfully quiet. Did you know?”

“Tim told me he had his suspicions,” Conner responded with a shrug. “Now, it’s just confirmed. I'm not even entirely sure why you kept it a secret though.”

Dick fidgeted under the combined stares of Tim and Conner. Noticing this, Jason moved over more towards Dick. He was going to grab his hand, but stopped short. Was that something that friends did? It was, right? He was unsure, since all the other times he comforted Dick, it had been as a boyfriend. Still, this was big for Dick, he needed to know someone was accepting of him. Before he could think it over too much longer, he grabbed onto Dick’s hand. It seemed to work as Dick’s breathing evened out a bit more, squeezing Jason’s hand almost painfully tight.

“I just didn't want anyone to know. People tend to judge me differently as soon as they find out and… I wanted to keep the normalcy for as long as I could.”

He didn’t notice he had shifted even closer to Jason until he noticed their arms were pressing together. It was grounding though, and Jason didn’t seem to mind, so he stayed were he was. “You really don't have a problem with me still being friends with your brother? Friends with you?” The clear hopefulness in his voice was almost embarrassing, but he couldn’t help it.

Tim smiled and shook his head. “No. Besides, it’s obvious Jay likes you a lot. I doubt my approval matters to him. If it helps though, I definitely approve. My brother is friends with Nightwing! He’s actually cool now. And if you consider us friends, I'm pretty sure this is one of the best days of my life.” Conner gave him a pointed look, to which Tim amended, “Second best day of my life.” He pressed a kiss to Conner’s cheek to hopefully appease him. It seemed to work as the other teen wrapped an arm around his boyfriend’s waist.

Dick let out a relieved laugh, not fully believing he was so easily accepted. That Tim actually thought he was cool instead of a some kind of freak. “That’s… really relieving to hear.”

It was at this point Jason realized he was still holding Dick’s hand, so he quickly dropped it and stepped away. Seeing that, and the distressed look on his brother’s face, Tim decided to step in. “Is it okay if Kon and I join you for the movie?”

“Yes,” Jason said, relieved, at the same time Dick loudly protested with, “No!”

They both stared at each other, startled. Hoping to break the tension, Conner chuckled awkwardly. “You guys are giving us some mixed signals…”

“Just… aren’t you two on a date? I'm sure you want some alone time,” Dick calmly explained, breaking his staring contest with Jason. He wanted this night to just be the two of them. He wanted to talk to Jason, and he was worried with other people there, he would back out. If he even got the chance, that is.

Tim could see Jason shaking his head at him, pleading with him to stay. He knew his brother was worried about ‘messing up their friendship,’ but it seemed obvious Dick wanted it to just be the two of them. Now, he was determined to help his brother, who was being too much of an idiot to see Dick still obviously had feelings for him. “You know what, you’re totally right. I'm feeling pretty hungry, anyway.”

“But we ate before-" Conner was cut off by Tim elbowing him. “I mean, yes. We are starving.” As if to prove his point, he patted his stomach a few times.

“Then you can get some food at the drive in! My treat!” Jason looked between Conner and Tim, trying to plead with them.

Turning to Dick, Tim smiled as sweetly as possible. Jason didn’t like that smile, either. “Why don't you go get changed? You’re gonna be late for the movie.”

Dick looked as if he wanted to protest, but Tim did have a point. So, hesitantly he walked off. “See you guys later, then. Nice meeting you, Kon!”

Waving, Conner called after him, “You too!”

As soon as he was out of sight, Tim’s smile dropped as he looked at Jason. “It’s obvious he likes you.”

“Uh… what?” Jason was expecting a lot of things to come out of Tim’s mouth. That was not it.

“He wants to spend time alone with you? Come on! He wants to admit his feelings to you! It’s written all over him.” Tim crossed his arms, fixing his older brother with a look like he was stupid.

That made Jason pause. Did Dick still like him? He supposed it wasn’t totally out of the realm of possibility. But did he really like him, was he fully considering the repercussions of being with Jason? Dick could be pretty reckless. Sighing, Jason realized, as much as it was uncomfortable, as much as hated it, he needed to finally talk to Dick. Get all of their feelings out there. He gave Tim a nod, accepting his fate. “Okay, I'll talk to him.”

“Good.” Tim grinned at him before giving him a rare hug. The Wayne’s were not big on physical contact, but there were the occasional times they felt it was necessary. Tim felt now was one of those times.

Jason wrapped his arms around his brother in return, trying to draw the reassurance out from it that he needed. Talking with Dick was certainly going to be… interesting, to say the least. But why did he feel like something terrible was going to happen? He hugged Tim a bit tighter, hoping that feeling was wrong.

Chapter Text

After Tim and Conner left, Dick soon reemerged, fully changed and ready to go. When he saw Jason’s car, his eyes threatened to bulge out of his head. “Was this really necessary?”

Jason looked over the vintage car and shrugged. “We couldn't exactly go to the drive in on my bike.” He could admit that maybe he could have chosen something less… flashy. But Bruce gave him free reign over the cars, letting him pick which one he wanted to take. When else would he be able to drive this kind of car?

Walking to the passenger side, Jason opened the door, gesturing for Dick get in. He tried to hide how nervous he was, but he was sure Dick could tell by the way his knuckles turned white on the edge of the door. Dick didn't notice though since he was working through his own nerves, trying to decide what he would say. Once he slid in, Jason shut the door, and jogged around to the drivers side.

After starting up the car, he glanced at Dick. “You’re still okay with going to the drive in, right?”

“Huh?” Dick looked up, startled a bit by the question. “Oh, uh. Yeah, that's fine.”

Jason nodded, and started off, leaving Dick to his thoughts. It was a quiet car ride, just bordering on awkward, until finally, Jason pulled into an empty spot. Shutting off the car, he stared down at his lap, trying to get his hands to stop fidgeting. He didn’t even completely know why he was so nervous. It was just Dick. Somehow that thought made him more nervous.

“So… how did your show go?” The awkwardness of that statement made him cringe as he kept his gaze on his lap.

“It was fine. Done it enough times by now.” Dick shrugged, bringing his eyes over to look at Jason. Finally, he sighed. Best to get the conversation over with. “I- I didn't ask to hang out with you, just to hang out with you. There’s something I want to talk to you about.” His voice sounded stronger than he felt, which allowed his confidence to grow a bit.

Jason slowly raised his gaze to look over at Dick. “Yeah, I think I have an idea what that is.” Dick’s eyebrows raised in surprise so Jason elaborated, “You still… have feelings for me?”

The way Jason said the words made Dick feel more unsure of himself. Averting his gaze, he gave a small nod and let out a deep breath. “I do. And I understand if you don’t like me that way, anymore. But I couldn't go on just being friends with you, without you knowing.”

“What about Zatanna?”

“I talked to her last night, after the dance. She understood. I just hope practice won’t be too awkward.” He let out a nervous chuckle, grinning slightly at Jason, but it fell when he saw the intense stare he was getting back.

“Dickie, I-" Jason cut himself off with a sound of frustration, running a hand through his hair. “I feel like you aren’t thinking this through. I'm an asshole, I've hurt you terribly, and I'm only your first boyfriend. You haven’t been with anyone else-"

“You just mentioned Zatanna,” Dick pointed out, crossing his arms. “And I'm not stupid. I know what you’ve done. But I've already forgiven you. You’ve proven to me you want to change. I've seen you changing. Besides, you aren’t such an asshole anymore. You still have your moments, but that's more because you’re oblivious, thinking you’re ‘helping’ people. But don't worry, I'm planning on being there to point it out to you.”

Jason rolled his eyes as he leaned back in his seat. “Gee, thanks.”

“You’re welcome!” When he got a huff of laughter at that, Dick’s smile grew. Uncrossing his arms, he grabbed Jason’s hands, waiting until he was looking at him. “I’m serious though, Jay. I know what I'm getting into. I'm not saying we’re going to be together forever, I'm not that naive. But that doesn’t mean I don't want to try again.”

This seemed like such a bad idea. All of the insecurities and doubts flooded his mind. Dick would come to regret this, regret being with him. Maybe even feel like Jason held him back from being with other people. He would get bored. It was best for Jason to keep things friendly. His philosophy was to leave before he got hurt.

Either his body didn’t agree, or Dick was just that magnetic, because somehow- before he even really registered it- they were kissing. Soft lips were moving against his. There was a hint of teeth grazing his lip. “This is such a bad idea,” Jason mumbled, biting lightly at Dick’s bottom lip.

“You said that already,” Dick whispered back on a breathy groan, moving his arms up to wrap them around Jason’s neck.

Jason honestly didn’t remember saying it out loud, but he didn’t care to pull away and question it. Especially once he felt Dick’s tongue push past his lips and brush the roof of his mouth. It was hesitant, shy almost, like he wasn’t entirely sure of his actions. Jason loved how Dick was still so innocent at times. He also loved to mess that up. Smiling to himself, he moved his hands down to the small of Dick’s back, practically pulling him into his lap. He was rewarded with a surprised noise, and now he was glad he chose a car without a middle console.

Once he was settled more comfortably in Jason’s lap, Dick pulled back, smiling when Jason trailed after him. “I take that as a yes to getting back together?”

“If it’s really want you want, then who am I to deny you?” He grinned back as he moved his hands up and under Dick’s shirt, loving the firm muscle he had missed so much.

“Good. These last few months have been hell.” Reaching a hand up, he ran his fingers through Jason’s bangs. He was absolutely giddy they could be this close again. Jason may have said it was a bad idea, but Dick saw it as anything but. It was definitely hard to think that when he felt Jason’s rough hands on his skin, a feeling he was addicted to. “Seeing you with Kara had been particularly difficult,” Dick commented as Jason took to mouthing at his neck.

Eyes widening, Jason pulled away from Dick. “ Fuck! I forgot about Kara!”

Dick’s eyes went round at that as he gazed at Jason. “You… Are you dating her? Are you cheating on her right now!?” He tried to scramble off of Jason’s lap, but the other teen held firm.

“Dick, calm down! I'm not cheating on anyone! I just asked her to join us because I thought if I was alone with you, I would do something stupid. I just forgot to cancel with her.” Though, he would be having words with her at some point. If he had needed backup, she would be late, and he would probably be sitting in an awkward silence.

Dick slowly stopped his struggling as the words registered, glancing out the window. The lot was slowly filling up as the movie was supposed to start soon. “Oh. That’s… good to hear.” He continued looking around, searching for Kara until his eyes landed on the refreshment center. There were various teens milling about, getting snacks, with Kara at the counter. “Well, if you want to talk to her, she’s getting some popcorn.”

Glancing over his shoulder, he sighed and nodded. “I should. She's probably just getting snacks, then planning on coming over to bother us.” He gave Dick one last kiss before letting him go. “I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

“I hope so. The movie’s supposed to start soon.” He slid back over to the passenger seat. “Though, I don’t know how much of the movie we’ll actually be watching,” he teasingly said with a smirk.

Jason definitely didn’t want to leave after that, but if he didn’t go now, they would just be interrupted later on. “I was going to ask if you wanted the top down, but I guess that answered that question.” He opened up the door to step out into the cool night air, the cold a shock to his heated up body.

Dick laughed as he leaned back in his seat. “Get me some twizzlers too, please.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jason mumbled with a warm smile, heart feeling light as he closed the door, and walked off to the refreshment center. He certainly didn't think this was how the night would turn out, but he also wasn’t complaining. As he approached, Kara turned around, popcorn in hand. She looked surprised, but smiled nonetheless.

“Jay! I was just- What happened to you?” She referred to his slightly swollen lips, and mussed up hair with a knowing grin. “Do you not need me to join after all?”

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Jason smirked back. “Nah, we kind of worked it out.”

Kara practically squealed as she hugged Jason, bouncing slightly. “I’m so happy for you! I'm glad we came separately so I don’t have to be the awkward third wheel to two dorks in love.”

“Whoa, what!?” Jason snapped back, staring at her with a shocked expression. “Where the fuck did you get love from?”

“Okay, sure, Jaybird. You don’t love him.” She rolled her eyes before leaning in again, and whispering, “You totally do, though.”

Jason playfully pinched her side, causing her to shriek and giggle. As he moved to walk around her to get Dick his twizzlers, she playfully hit him. While he got snacks and drinks, Kara happily munched on her popcorn and insisted he tell her everything.

Meanwhile, Dick was flipping through the radio stations, getting happy jitters as he thought about how well things went with Jason. It seemed things were finally looking up for them, and he was sure he had a goofy grin on his face. That is, until someone pulled in next to him and started honking their horn to get his attention.

Turning his head, Dick’s grin fell when he noticed it was Roy. He wasn’t really in the mood to talk to him- he knew about everything with Wally, plus the whole bet thing- but it seemed he wasn’t going to stop honking until Dick responded. So, with a resigned sigh, he rolled down the window.

“Hey, Dickie! What’s up? You here by yourself?” Roy asked, leaning out of his car.

His words were slightly slurred, but Dick brushed it off. It wasn’t that noticeable, and it was probably just due to his lack of sleep. “No, I'm here with Jason. He’s just off getting snacks,” Dick responded, trying to keep his tone civil.

Roy made a noise of realization, nodding his head. “Should have guessed it was Jason, given the red, puffy lips. You two made up I take it?”

Dick reached a hand up, covering his mouth as his face heated up. He didn’t even realize it was still noticeable. “Made-?” He had almost completely forgotten the question in the face of his embarrassment. “Uh, yeah. Yeah we did.”

“Hm.” That was all Roy gave as a response, looking over to the refreshment center. “You trust him again?”

His eyes seemed fixated on the refreshment center, so Dick followed his gaze. Jason and Kara were hugging and playfully teasing each other, but Dick shook his head and focused on Roy again. “Yeah, I do.”

At the tone of voice, Roy snapped his gaze back to Dick and raised his hands in surrender. “I didn't mean anything by it, it was just a question.”

Dick narrowed his eyes before focusing back out the windshield. It was at this point he noticed Barbara pull in, Megan and Wally in the car with her. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Roy tense. “You could always try talking to him, you know.”

Roy snorted, hunching down a bit in his seat. “You say that like I haven't tried already.” He raised his voice a bit louder with his next words. “Some people just don’t care about other people’s feelings!”

They both saw Wally flinch, which made Dick glare at Roy. “Oh, you’re one to talk.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Dickhead?” He brought his eyes over to Dick, glaring right back.

Dick had told Jason he would let him talk to Roy, but it seemed as if he still hadn’t, and Dick was sick of this. “Jason told me about you making a bet with him on sleeping with me. Where you caring about my feelings when you did that?”

There was a brief flicker of surprise across Roy’s face before it hardened again. “Well, can you blame me? You certainly seem like you could be a fun time,” he leered, letting his eyes roam over Dick.

“What the fuck, Roy?”

Both Dick and Roy were slightly startled at Jason’s voice, since they were so caught up in scowling at each other. Jason looked to be calmly placing his snacks and drinks down on the hood of his car, but he was pissed . “Did you seriously just say that about my boyfriend?”

Despite himself, Dick felt a smile form at Jason referring to as him as his boyfriend. He quickly remembered the tense situation though, so tried to calm Jason down. He may be angry too, but he didn’t necessarily want a fist fight in the middle of the drive in. Getting out of the car, Dick walked over to Jason and grabbed his arms. “Come on, Little Wing. Don't do this here.”

Jason seemed to relax a bit, but that progress was ruined by Roy. “That's right, Jay. Listen to your boy toy. How long do you think this one will last? I'm thinking a week. Two, tops.”

Clenching his fists, Jason moved Dick aside to step closer to Roy. “Go hang out with your friends, Dick. I gotta have a talk with Roy,” Jason grit out, eyes never leaving his friend.

“Jay-"

“I'll be fine. Just go.” He spared a quick glance to Dick, gesturing with his head to leave. He knew how to handle his best friend, but he didn’t want Dick around for Roy to keep throwing jabs at.

Reluctantly, Dick started walking off towards Barbara’s car, looking over his shoulder every once in a while as he left. Once he was out of earshot, Jason moved closer, lowering his voice to a growl. “What the fuck is wrong with you? He didn’t deserve that.”

Roy looked remorseful, but he also looked angry, and currently, anger was winning out. “You were fine talking that way about him before. Now it’s too far?”

“Obviously, things have changed. I expected you to respect that. You know, as my friend.” He moved closer until he was standing right outside Roy’s car.

Scoffing, Roy hunched his shoulders. “Whatever, man. Good for you. You changed, want some kind of award?”

Jason began to notice the slurring, and looking further into the car, he saw what looked to be empty beer bottles. He also noticed the smell of alcohol. His face twisted up in disgust as he gazed down at him. “Fuck, are you drunk?”

Now, Roy looked defensive, trying to lean away from Jason. “No.” Jason kept looking at him disbelievingly, so Roy hissed, “Fine. So what if I am?”

“You shouldn't be driving!” Concern for his friend was seeping through the anger, Jason losing a bit of his glare. “Does Ollie know?”

“You think he’d let me drive any of his cars if he did?” Roy gave a self deprecating smile, anger leaving him a bit as he noticed Jason calming down. “I’m sorry, I just… God, I don’t know what to do. Mostly because Wally won't just talk to me. And now, I'm supposed to leave him alone, but it hurts, Jason. So God damn much.”

“I understand. But you can’t take that out on other people. And you definitely need to stop with the drinking.” Honestly, the Roy situation was scaring him. He seemed to be burying himself into a hole, and Jason wasn’t sure how to help.

Roy nodded, hitting his head against the steering wheel and groaning. “I gotta apologize to Dick. Fuck, I gotta apologize to Wally .”

“Yeah, you do,” Jason agreed, glancing over at Barbara’s car. “One of those, you definitely can do. The other… is probably still gonna take some work. I'll go tell Dick, you can apologize, then I'll take you home.”

There was just a grunt in reply, which Jason took as an agreement. Walking around, he picked back up his snacks and drinks- he wasn’t going to waste them after he paid for them- before walking over towards Barbara’s car.

As soon as Jason neared, Dick looked over and noted the snacks piled in his arms with a sad sort of understanding. “Hey, I gotta take Roy home. He’s drunk, and should not be driving. It’s a miracle he made it here.” Jason shook his head before holding out the snacks. “Figured it was best to not let these go to waste.”

Dick grabbed them before passing them off to Megan. She gladly took them, smiling at Jason. “Thanks for the free snacks!”

Jason gave her a small smile back before rubbing the back of his neck. “He also wanted to apologize. He feels bad for everything he said. Including to you, Wally.”

At the mention of his name, Wally startled, completely spacing out on the conversation. “What?” Everyone looked at him, concerned, noticing the dark bags and the red, bloodshot eyes. Roy obviously wasn’t the only one upset. “Sorry, I mean- He can, um. Just told him I said it’s fine,” Wally mumbled, staring back at the screen again.

Barbara placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing gently as she gazed at Jason. “How are you going to get back?” She knew Wally wanted the attention off of him, so tried to provide him that out.

It seemed to work as Jason shrugged, shifting his feet slightly. “Probably walk. He doesn't live that far away.”

“I'll come with you, then,” Dick said, grabbing onto Jason’s hand.

“Are you sure? It’s fine for you not to. It’s cold and-"

“Jason, I'm going.” Dick smiled, giving his hand a tight squeeze. “I wanted to hang out with you tonight. That’s what we’re doing.”

“Besides, a moonlit walk is so romantic!” Megan added around a mouthful of Skittles.

Dick gave Jason a sheepish grin. “I kind of told them we got back together. Sorry, couldn’t help myself.”

“Congratulations, by the way!” Megan cheerfully cut in again, this time around the straw of her drink.

Jason just chuckled as he squeezed Dick’s hand back. “Thanks. And it’s fine, Dickie. I was the one to refer to you as my boyfriend first.”

“Something I'm definitely okay with.” Leaning up, he pressed a kiss to Jason’s cheek.

“Gross, get that disgusting display away from my car,” Barbara teased, sending them both a smirk.

Throwing his arm around Dick’s shoulders, Jason pressed him into his side and kissed the top of his head. He received a piece of popcorn thrown at him- courtesy of Barbara- but was able to catch it. He chewed triumphantly while Dick laughed. “We really should get going. Roy might have passed out, waiting for us.”

Dick shrugged, hugging himself more firmly against Jason’s side. “Let him wait. It’s payback for the things he’s done.”

“You’re vicious, pretty bird,” Jason chuckled out, giving him another kiss before beginning to steer him back towards Roy’s car. “You guys have a fun night!” he called back over his shoulder.

“You too!” Barbara answered back. “Oh, and Jason, if you hurt him again, we’ll come for you.”

Jason glanced over his shoulder to see all three of them looking at him with grim expressions. It honestly unnerved him a bit, but Megan was the first to crack, breaking into a wide grin and giving him a thumbs up. Wally, on the other hand, gave him a look that said Don’t let there be more sadness in this group.

And there wouldn’t be. Not if Jason had anything to say about it. Unless Dick asked him to, he was never leaving his side again.

He would just have to hope Dick never asked him to.

Chapter Text

Roy was not passed out when they got back to him, but he didn’t stay that way for long. After an apology to Dick, he moved to the backseat where he promptly crashed. The car ride was mostly silent, the radio quietly playing.

Dick leaned back in his seat, hand clasped lightly with Jason’s. He couldn’t help the small grin playing on his lips as he sung quietly along with the radio.

Jason let out a light laugh. “You know, we have a karaoke night every once in a while. You should come, I bet you’d be great.”

“You think so?” With the question, he started singing louder and purposefully off key. Jason laughed louder, squeezing his hand.

“The voice of an angel.”

Laughing, Dick turned slightly in his seat when he heard Roy grumbling. “It’s too early for whatever this shit is.”

“It’s not even ten,” Jason replied, barely keeping in his snickers.

“Exactly. Nothing I said was wrong.” After that, he simply got comfortable again and was immediately out.

Jason chuckled and shook his head as he pulled into the long driveway of the Queen residence. “Seriously though, you should come over again. Everyone seems to love you.”

“Oh? Does that include you?” He had said it teasingly, but instantly regretted asking the question. He wasn’t sure if he could actually handle the answer in any way.

Lifting their hands up, Jason kissed the back of his hand. The serious look on his face almost scared Dick a bit, but then his heart just picked up when Jason whispered, “I think you already know my answer to that.”

Dick honestly wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He was too dazed to anyway, lips parting slightly in shock. After a small grin, Jason pulled back, getting out of the car to drag Roy out. “I'll be right back, okay?” Jason asked after throwing Roy’s arm over his shoulders.

After giving him a stunned nod, Jason started helping Roy to the door. Dick watched him for a bit, before unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of the car. Jason and Roy were talking to each other, but it was too low for Dick to hear. He waited patiently for Jason to get Roy inside, and for him to come back.

In that time, he worked on calming himself down. So, Jason basically admitted he loved him. At least, that seemed to be the case to Dick. Cool, he could handle this. Nothing changed between them, he could handle this. He was fine.

He didn’t even notice Jason come back until he felt a hand on his shoulder. “You doing okay there, Dickiebird?”

“Yeah, totally okay! Why would I not be okay?” A nervous smile appeared as he awkwardly laughed, trying to ignore the way his voice cracked a bit. Wasn’t he supposed to be done with puberty?

Jason didn't look like he totally believed him, but decided to let it go as he grabbed back onto Dick’s hand. He started leading the way back to the drive in, enjoying the companionable silence between them.

At least, it was companionable to him. Dick was still freaking out a bit, but Jason didn’t seem too concerned about it. He wouldn’t be either. But he did still blurt out, “The feeling is mutual.”

Confused, Jason glanced at Dick out of the corner of his eye. “Okay… what feeling?”

“I also like you, a lot. And I just wanted you to know that even if I can't exactly express it with words, I… feel the same.” He really did, he just was worried that as soon as he put those words out there, he would be rejected. That Jason would come to his senses.

Jason nodded as he understood, letting go of his hand to wrap an arm around Dick’s waist instead. “That's… good to know, then.” Ever since Jason had said the stupid words in the first place, he was regretting it all. Roy had assured him it was fine, but he was drunk so what did he know anyway? But to hear it directly from Dick helped to relieve some of his nerves.

They lapsed into a calm quiet, both just enjoying each other’s company. Until, Dick started shivering. Pulling him in a bit closer, Jason tried to impart some of his heat onto Dick as he chuckled. “I told you it would be cold. This is exactly why I said you didn't have to come with me.”

“Yeah, but I wanted to. And I don't regret it at all.” Smiling, he pulled both of them to a stop. He moved in front of Jason, planting a soft kiss to his lips. “I think I know of a way to warm us up,” Dick murmured, lips brushing Jason’s with every word. Jason felt he knew where this was going, moving his hands to rest on Dick’s hips. Apparently he didn’t though, as Dick smirked back, something he didn’t trust at all. “Dance with me.”

Raising an eyebrow, Jason looked at Dick like he was crazy. “I thought you wanted to get back to the movie?”

“Please, I wrote off the movie as soon as we left. Now…” He wrapped his arms around Jason’s neck, and began to sway them. “I want to dance with you. Here. Under this streetlight. On this sidewalk, with the moon and the stars as our audience.”

“Wow, that was kind of cheesy, don't ya think?” Jason asked with a grin.

Dick shrugged as he began playing with the ends of Jason’s hair. “After performances, when I was a kid, my parents would dance quietly by themselves under the night sky. My dad used to tell me there’s nothing like dancing with someone you… really like under the night sky, with the moon and stars as your audience. I want to see if that's true. Besides, I didn't get to dance with you at school. Consider this a makeup for that.”

Hearing the explanation behind the words made Jason feel bad, so he decided to indulge Dick. “What dance would you like to do?”

“Surprise me.”

Jason grinned as he began leading them through a classic ballroom waltz. Just as they were getting into the groove of things, Jason switched it to the cha cha, throwing Dick off balance. He took it in stride though, laughing as Jason continued changing the dances around. He added in elements of the salsa, the jitterbug, even throwing in medieval dances.

“What even is this!?” Dick laughed as Jason danced around him.

“This is a ceremonial medieval wedding dance! You said to surprise you.” He winked as he grabbed Dick up in his arms again, leading him through the tango to close out their dancing.

As Jason dipped him, Dick’s eyes went wide. “What? How do you even know that?”

Jason smirked, giving a one armed shrug as he pulled Dick back up, their breaths mingling in the cold night air. “Just something I picked up,” he breathed out before capturing Dick’s mouth, hands sliding under his jacket and shirt to continue where they left off earlier.

Apparently, Dick had different ideas as he leaned back. “Your car! We need to get back to it!”

Jason was sorely tempted to just leave it, if it meant making out with Dick, but he supposed Bruce would maybe be mad at one of his cars getting wrecked or stolen. Even if he could buy another one. Sighing, Jason nodded, stepping back and grabbing Dick’s hand again to once more start their walk to the drive in.

Once they finally got back, the movie was practically over, but they noticed Barbara was leaning against Jason’s car, eyes focused on the screen. “Hey, Babs!” Dick called as they neared.

Glancing over her shoulder, she straightened up, giving them a wave back. “Hey, you two missed the movie.”

“Seems you did, too,” Jason responded, pulling out his keys to unlock his car.

“It’s not that great, anyway. And I saw a few… questionable people hanging around. Figured I'd come and keep an eye on your fancy car. Don't want Bruce getting mad at you, after all.” Barbara looked back at the car, eyeing it carefully. “It’s a really nice car.”

Jason nodded, grinning with a bit of smugness as he opened the driver's side door. “Thanks, Babs. Best if I don't get murdered by Bruce.”

“Yeah. Might as well leave that for the Jokers.”

Both Dick and Jason’s eyes snapped over to Barbara in surprise. “What are you talking about?” Dick could feel his stomach filling up with dread, and that was just confirmed to be the right reaction at her next words.

“Megan told me. You really think Artemis wouldn't tell her girlfriend? Meg tried to keep it a secret, but it still slipped.” Crossing her arms, Barbara narrowed her eyes at Jason.

“Jason…” Dick turned to his boyfriend, eyes filled with hurt, dread and worry. “What are you doing with the Jokers?”

With both sets of eyes on him, Jason began hunching in on himself, defensive. “It’s just a stupid race.”

“Which is illegal,” Barbara pointed out. “I should really tell my dad. You should tell Bruce! You said you were done with this.”

“I can handle myself,” Jason growled, glaring at her, even if it seemed to have no effect.

Dick decided to step in, moving between the two. “Babs, can I talk to him alone, please?”

Barbara flicked her eyes over to Jason before giving Dick a nod. “You’re welcome, you know. For watching your car.” She gave Jason one last pointed look before turning around and sauntering back off to her car.

Turning back to Jason, Dick pulled a bit on his arm. “Come on, let’s talk about this in the car.” He walked off to the other side, opened the door and slid in.

Jason really didn't want to do that, but he was Dick’s ride home and he couldn’t just leave the car. There was still a pretty big part of him that thought the Manor wasn’t that far away. He could just leave.

Opening the door, he got in and shut it behind him. There was no way he was actually leaving Dick, but he was not looking forward to this conversation. He rested his hands on the steering wheel, about to start the car, but he was stilled in his actions by a gentle hand grabbing his wrist.

“It’s okay, Jay. I'm not mad.” He was a little annoyed, but he knew snapping at Jason right now was not a wise decision. “I just want to know what’s going on. We said we were going to be honest with each other.”

Jason dropped his hands from the steering wheel, resting his head against the seat as he stared up at the roof. “I know. But I also don't want a lecture. I know what I'm doing.”

Giving Jason’s wrist a final squeeze, Dick moved his hand up to his neck, rubbing gently. He felt a sense of victory as Jason’s eyes slipped shut, shoulders losing their tension. “I’m not going to lecture you. I just want to know what’s happening.”

“That’s just because you don’t know the whole story.” But Dick was right, they had agreed to be honest with each other. He wanted to be honest with Dick. “I told everyone I quit last time because Joker had once again put me in a coma. But this time, I was under for about a week. Much longer than last time. The swelling in my head was the worst of it, but I also had multiple broken ribs. A broken leg. My arm was fractured in three different places. I even had some burns from where the car caught fire. Everyone thought that was it. He’s dead this time. The Joker took to taunting Bruce about it, even going so far as to say he would finish the job while I was in the hospital.”

Staring wide eyed at Jason, Dick froze in his movements as his blood seemed to run cold. Imagining Jason that close to death, and seemingly willing to risk it again. “And you’re challenging him still?”

Jason cracked open an eye to look over at him. “What happened to no lecture?”

“I wasn’t lecturing. I only care about you being safe.” He didn’t know if he could handle seeing Jason in a coma. He definitely couldn't handle Jason being dead.

“And I will be.” Jason fully opened his eyes, sitting back up from slouching in his seat. “The Joker doesn't scare me. I’ve faced him before-"

“And almost died,” Dick interrupted, shrugging at the look Jason gave him. “Still not lecturing. Just pointing out facts.”

Jason rolled his eyes as he continued, “As I was saying, I've faced him before, I know how to handle him. That last time- last two times,” he amended at Dick’s look, “was just because I was too reckless. I wasn’t paying enough attention. I was young, and stupid.”

“How long ago was the last race?”

Averting his gaze, Jason mumbled, “Right before summer.”

Dick had heard him perfectly, but still leaned in a bit more with a sly smirk. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

“Oh, shut up, Dickhead.” He reached out a hand to push Dick’s face away. “I’m going, okay? I'm doing this. I already agreed, I can’t give the Joker the satisfaction of backing out now. Besides, I give him a target. If he doesn't have me anymore, he might go after my brothers. At least this way I can back out on my own terms, make sure they’re safe. That my friends are safe. That you're safe.”

Dick supposed he could understand that, but that didn't mean he had to like it. “At least let me come with-"

“No. Absolutely not,” Jason said adamantly, shaking his head.

“Jay-"

“No! I will not have you get hurt! I'm definitely not going to let you put yourself into danger.” Jason’s expression looked stern, but Dick saw the underlying pleading to it.

Moving his hands, Dick grabbed onto both of Jason’s as he looked in his eyes. “You’re putting yourself in danger. How is that any different?”

“Because I've been through this!” Jason pulled his hands away to jab them through his hair. “I know exactly who I'm dealing with. You don’t, and I won't be able to completely keep an eye on you. Catalina and Miriam could do who knows what while Joker distracts me. Especially if they find out where actually dating now!”

Dick tried to hand wave it off. “Please, Cat seems harmless. I haven't met this Miriam yet, but I'm sure I could handle her, too.”

Slowly, Jason brought his gaze over to Dick, eyebrows raised in disbelief. “Cat!? Did you seriously just call her by a nickname?”

“Catalina seemed too long to say.”

A laugh bubbled out of Jason before another quickly followed. Then another. Pretty soon, he was laughing hysterically, though there seemed to be no humor behind it. “See? That shit right there is why you can’t come with me! You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”

Crossing his arms, Dick glared at Jason, waiting for his laughing fit to subside. “I’m going with you.”

Jason shook his head again, taking a deep breath to get his breathing back under control. “No, you’re not."

“Yes I-"

“No. You’re not.” Jason had gone back to serious, running his hands along Dick’s arms, trying to coax him to uncross them. It eventually worked, allowing Jason to pull him into his arms. He buried his face in Dick’s hair as his boyfriend moved his arms up to return the hug. “Please. I can't lose you. I can't have you be used against me. I can't stand having you get hurt in any way, and knowing it’s my fault. I know you can take care of yourself, but for my own peace of mind, please just… let me handle this.”

Dick could feel his resolve crumbling, which annoyed him. Why didn't Jason see he just wanted him safe, too? But with the absolute vulnerability in Jason’s voice, his voice getting husky with unshed tears, Dick wasn’t sure he could push it. Still, his protective side was putting up a fight, not going down quietly. “What if I agree to stick by your side?”

“Dick…” Jason could feel himself growing tired of this argument.

“Just hear me out,” Dick pleaded, pulling back to once again lock eyes with his boyfriend. “I won't talk to Cat, or Miri. I'll stick right by your side, or one of the other T-birds. I won’t even look in any of the Jokers’ direction. I just want to be there for you. Watch your back. Know that you’re okay instead of having to sit at home, worried this is the time you actually get killed. Please. Just let me be there.”

Jason gave him a long, considering look. He could see, and hear the determination behind Dick’s words. There was also the fact that Dick might just show up anyway. At least this way, they could agree upon terms. Jason was just tired anyway, Dick’s stubbornness wearing him out. “You’ll stay with someone trustworthy?” Dick nodded. “You’ll make sure you’re on your guard around all of the Jokers?” Another nod. “Then fine. You can come, you stubborn asshole.”

Dick completely brightened at the words, disregarding the asshole comment. He tried to drag Jason into a kiss but Jason stopped it, giving him a reprimanding look. “And you have to stop giving the bad guys nicknames.” Dick didn't respond to him, just smiled before locking their lips together.

Chapter Text

Jason leaned against his motorcycle, waiting for Dick after school. They were meeting now before Dick’s cheerleading practice. Jason had offered to stay for that as well, so that they could ride to and from school together, but Dick had declined, saying the situation would be awkward. Which was understandable, since Jason had dated, or flirted with at least half of the team. He could hear the rumors going around school about how the relationship wasn’t going to last, or Dick was just the newest ‘plaything’ of the week, but Jason ignored all of it. It wasn’t the first time he heard those types of comments.

Dick though, would get defensive. Argue on Jason’s behalf. Pretty much try to help in any way he saw fit. Jason was pretty sure he heard of Dick punching someone in the face after a particularly nasty comment, which Jason thought was equally parts hot, touching, and terrifying. An odd combination, to say the least.

It seemed today, Dick had heard another comment as he looked pretty angry. Approaching with tense shoulders, and fists balled up at his sides, stalking towards Jason with a set jaw. He had seemed fine when they saw each other at lunch, so it had to be after that.

“I wish people would just mind their own business!” Dick hissed out, coming to a stop in front of Jason and crossing his arms. “You won't believe how many people said, ‘Saw you with Todd today. You really sure you want to date that?’ Or, ‘I get he’s hot, but come on, dude. Learn to recognize a train wreck.’ Or, and this one’s my favorite, ‘Jason will dump you in a week, he won't show you the care you deserve. But I can. Be with someone that will love you right.’”

Jason couldn’t help it- he started laughing. He hadn’t meant to, but Dick was using ridiculous voices for each of them. His face was also twisted up with such disdain, Jason couldn’t help but find it all hilarious. He came to his senses though once Dick began turning that disdain on him. Giving an awkward cough, Jason shook his head before placing his hands on Dick’s hips and pulling him closer.

“I understand, I do. But this is high school. No one likes to mind their own business. It kind of just comes with the territory.” Jason took to planting tiny kisses along Dick’s neck, hoping to soothe and calm him down.

Dick still hadn’t uncrossed his arms, but he did tilt his neck a bit, so Jason counted it as a win. “But it’s like they aren't acknowledging that you’re changing at all! That doesn’t bother you?”

Shrugging, Jason moved around to his collarbone, smirking against his skin when he felt Dick lean in a little closer. “I've heard it all before. It was the persona I wanted to put out to everyone, after all. And to them, I haven't changed. You and I, as far as they know, have only been dating for two days. My longest relationship before lasted a week.”

“What about Kara?” Dick asked, embarrassed at how the last word ended on a hitch of his breath when he felt Jason’s teeth graze lightly at his collarbone.

“We were off and on constantly, but I think when we were on, it still wasn’t longer than four, maybe five days, tops.” Lifting his head up, he gave Dick a warm, soft smile. “You’re just special, Dickie. Always have been. Always will be.”

The smile coupled with the words completely broke down the rest of Dick’s defenses. Unfolding his arms, Dick rested his hands on Jason’s shoulders. He closed the tiny gap between them, stepping between Jason’s legs once his boyfriend spread them a bit wider.

Dick ran his hands along Jason’s shoulders, stopping every once in a while to pick at the leather. His eyes were glued onto his movements, almost like he didn’t want to say his next words, but knew he had to. “They don’t… just say things about you.”

Stomach filling up with dread, Jason began rubbing circles into Dick’s hips with his thumbs. He had a feeling he knew what he was talking about, but that didn't stop him from asking, “What do you mean?”

“There’s… gossip going around that I'm just using you for your money. That I'm just some worthless toy that you’ll throw out once you’re done with me.” Dick took in a shaky breath, finally lifting his eyes up to reveal they were misted over with unshed tears. “That I'm just a meaningless, disgusting thing that you couldn’t give a fuck about.”

Dick knew none of those things were true, but that didn’t stop them from hitting his insecurities. His fear that Jason hadn't really changed. That he didn’t care. It was a part of him that he was desperately trying to push past, but he could admit it was still there, even if it was small. Closing his eyes, he took a shaky breath in, a tear slipping out. “It almost feels like telling people I'm in the circus would be less painful than this.”

There was a wry laugh behind the words, but Jason was too shocked to even hear the last part. In his other relationships, no one dared to talk about his partners, because Jason was intimidating. Why was Dick different then? Maybe people had noticed Jason changing more than he thought. It looked like it might be time to correct that. “Who said it?”

Dick became concerned as he gazed at Jason. The dark, almost murderous look in his eyes was a bit disquieting as well. “Jason, I didn't tell you so you would go beat them up, or whatever it is you macho, gang people do.” That didn’t get him the laugh, or smile he was looking for, causing him to sigh. “You’re trying to change, Jay. Please, just let this go.”

That definitely wasn’t happening. Jason would just have to figure it out on his own, and get his vengeance discreetly. He could do that. It wouldn’t be the first time. “Then, why did you tell me?” He hadn’t meant to ask the question, but there it was.

Giving a hopeless shrug, Dick leaned their foreheads together. “I wanted to be honest with you about what was bothering me. I- I was hoping you could make me feel better about it,” he stammered out, hating how stupid it sounded out loud. “But we can just forget it.”

“No, we can’t. If it’s bothering you, I'm glad you told me. I'll help you work through it.” Jason hummed as he looked up at the sky. “None of those things are true, let’s clear that up right away. I already told you how special you are, but I could repeat it, if needed.” He moved his eyes back down with a slight smile. “You’re smart, funny, beautiful. I’d have to be a complete idiot to let you go again. Which, I am an idiot, but it's one of those things I'm working on.”

When Jason had looked back at him, Dick ended up averting his gaze, staring down. But he forgot he was in between Jason’s legs and looking down ended up being a bad idea. His spread legs, his thighs snug around his hips. And was it just him or were Jason’s jeans tighter than usual? It was at this point, he realized he had been staring for entirely too long, so he lifted up his eyes, hoping his face wasn’t too red. The words helped to soothe him though, until he felt nothing but love for the person smiling at him with that fond smile. Dick had no choice but to pull Jason into a soft kiss.

Jason had definitely noticed the staring, it conjuring up less than appropriate thoughts for school. Also not great when he knew it was too soon for anything like that with Dick. Sure, they had slept together before, but this early into them getting back together was probably a bad idea. Jason was planning on teasing Dick to help cut those thoughts off, but the kiss worked in distracting him. He was extremely tempted to tell Dick to just skip cheerleading practice, but he knew that suggestion would just be shot down. So, best to make this last while he could.

Just about as he was going to finally get into it though, they heard a throat clearing. Dick’s eyes shot open, jerking back and stumbling with the force of it. He caught himself though, turning his head to see Barbara standing there with a raised eyebrow.

“Am I interrupting?”

“Yes,” Jason responded tersely while Dick shook his head.

“It’s fine, Babs. I gotta get to practice, anyway.” He stepped a bit closer to Jason again to give him one last chaste kiss. “Thanks, Jay.” He smiled as he pulled back, giving Barbara a small wave and walking off to practice.

Jason watched him go before looking back at Barbara, annoyed expression on his face. “Don’t give me that look. This is important,” Barbara said, pulling a folder out of her backpack to hand to Jason. “It’s about Wally’s case. That's a copy of everything we have so far. My dad wants you and Bruce to testify against Rudy.”

“I get Bruce, but why me?” Jason asked, flipping through the folder. He knew how well respected Rudy was in the community, with lots of ties and connections. But Bruce had just as good of a social standing. It would certainly be a blow to have him testify. Jason just wasn’t sure how he fit into that.

“We’re asking everyone that knows Wally. Kori, Meg, everyone in the T-birds, including you. I’m holding off on asking Roy, for obvious reasons. Just until he cleans up a bit, and I believe he can handle it. I would ask Dick too, but he hasn't been in the community long enough. Not to mention, no one really knows what his family situation is.” Her eyes flashed with a knowing glint as she looked straight at Jason. Like she knew more than she was letting on.

“Yeah, he’s pretty secretive about it,” Jason remarked with a nonchalant shrug.

Barbara searched his face, but quickly realized he wasn’t going to tell her anything. Even if it was obvious she knew something. She folded her arms, gesturing to the papers in his hand. “So, will you do it?”

“If you think it will really help, then of course.” Flipping the folder closed, Jason stood up from his bike to put it in his bag. “And I'll make sure this gets to Bruce.”

“Thanks. Dad wanted to get him involved before, but we didn't want to risk his reputation until we had more.” She watched Jason’s movements, expression hardening a bit. “So, you still going through with your stupid race?”

Jason zipped his backpack up and slung it over his shoulder. “Depends. Are you gonna tell your dad? Bruce?”

“No. Dad has enough on his plate. I'm just going to tell you, you shouldn't do it.”

Getting on his bike, Jason gave her a small smile as he grabbed his helmet. “I know what I'm doing, Babs.”

It looked as if she highly doubted that, but she let it be. “I hope so, for your sake. For Dick’s.”

There was no response from Jason as he slipped his helmet on, started his motorcycle, and left the school.

---

Working on cars had always helped Jason to clear his mind, but his brain was scattered. Roy was scaring him, the upcoming race was worrying, and knowing Dick was going to be there was just stressing him out even more. Then there were all the rumors and gossip flying around the school. The only thing that he could rely on was the fact that Wally’s case was moving forward. Everything else was pressing down on him. Drowning him in anxiety at everything that could go wrong.

Jason let out a shout of pain as he dropped the wrench on his face. Again. Groaning, he dropped it and rolled out from under the car, rubbing at his head. He didn’t even care when he left a grease smear right on his forehead.

Closing his eyes, he tried to calm his thoughts. He could feel a headache forming, maybe it was time to take a break. It seemed fate had other plans though as Jason heard footsteps approaching. He reopened his eyes to see Roy walking towards him with a nervous smile.

“Hey there, Jaybird!”

Jason arched an eyebrow, taking in Roy’s fidgeting. “You want something. What is it?”

“Why would you assume I want something? Can't I just visit my best friend?” Jason continued to give him an unimpressed look, so Roy gave up with a relenting sigh. “I… I need help. With my drinking. And I don’t want you to let Ollie know. He worries about me enough as it is.”

Jason nodded understandingly, standing up and dusting off his hands on his jeans. “I was about to take a break. Afterwards, you want to help me work on the car?” He was hoping that maybe, Roy just needed a distraction. And to know he still had his best friend.

With a relieved smile, shoulders relaxing, Roy said, “Yes, please.”

It turned out, having Roy around wasn’t just a distraction for him, but it was a distraction for Jason as well. It got his mind off of his stress, with the added bonus of Roy actually starting to heal a bit. He was still hung up on Wally, but it was a start. Jason was sure things would resolve between them soon, especially once Wally’s case was finalized.

The weeks leading up to race mostly continued like this. Roy and Jason working on the car, Dick and Jason spending whatever time they could together. It was mostly okay.

That is until one Sunday morning.

Dick left his trailer early in the morning, intending to say hi to Zitka before grabbing a quick breakfast. He didn’t expect to see Barbara sitting in her car, reading a book. The image was so weird and unexpected, he almost thought he was still dreaming. As he was considering walking back in, and going back to sleep, Barbara looked up with a smile. She put her book down and stepped out of the car, walking over to Dick.

“Good morning, Dickie,” she called, smile growing at Dick’s surprised look. Almost like he couldn’t believe his hallucination was talking to him.

“Uh, hey... What- I mean, how did you-" He stopped talking as she held up a hand.

“Don’t worry. No one betrayed your secret. I will admit, it was hard to find out anything about you. But being the Commissioner’s daughter has its perks.” Walking back to her car, she reached in, grabbed some papers sitting in the passenger seat, and moved back to Dick. Without a word, she held them out.

Warily, Dick took them, looking into her unwavering gaze before dropping his eyes to read what was on the papers. He felt his lips part in shock as he saw everything about him, his parents, and their deaths laid out before him. As he skimmed through them, he even saw his transformation from a Flying Grayson to Robin to Nightwing. Which was relatively recent, him picking up Nightwing when he turned 17. “Wow, you were… thorough.”

“I definitely did my research. Hard to find it all. You were good at hiding it, I’ll give you that.” Her smile turned slightly smug as she added, “I'm just better.”

Dick lightly chuckled, shaking his head as he stared at a picture of him with his parents. “Are you going to tell anyone?” he asked, raising his eyes back up to meet hers.

Her smile softened, clasping her hands together in front of her. “It’s obvious you don't want anyone to know, so your secret is safe with me. You really should just consider telling people though. They wouldn’t care as much as you think they would. We would still accept you.”

Dick wanted desperately to believe that. But he’s been down that road before. People claiming they wouldn't judge him, only to go back on that once they actually knew. Either with derision, mocking, or pity. All of them were terrible, and Dick hated receiving the looks. At least before he was safe in the knowledge that they would be leaving soon. Now, with Jason and all the friends he had here, he didn't know when he would next be leaving. So he definitely didn’t want to mess this up.

“I can’t, Babs. Not yet.”

Barbara’s smile lessened, turning into a bit of a frown. “Does Jason know?”

“Yeah. He found out over summer.” Dick gave a weak shrug, dropping his eyes again. “And Tim found out a few weeks ago. Conner, too.”

“Tim found out before me!? Oh, he’s not going to let me live that one down.” She rolled her eyes before focusing back on Dick with an apologetic grin. “Sorry, off topic. My point was, did they care? Did they start treating you any differently?”

“It’s- That’s different. Different situations.” The protest sounded weak even to his own ears, and Barbara seemed to agree.

“Come on, Dick. You know that’s a lame excuse.” Dick stayed quiet so Barbara let out a deep breath before nodding. “Ultimately, it’s your decision. I'm here for you either way.”

Dick looked back up with a grateful smile. “Thanks, Babs.”

She waved it off with a grin. “What are friends for? There’s a bit more I wanted to talk to you about though.” Her grin had dropped again, making Dick worried about what she had to say next. “Have you talked to Wally lately?"

No one had really talked to Wally recently. He was cutting himself off from everyone, becoming quiet and withdrawn at school. Unlike Roy who had burst out, and gone down a self destructive route, Wally had just isolated himself. He went to school, barely talked at lunch, then went home. He didn’t even really go out with friends anymore, claiming he had homework, or some other vague excuse. “About as much as anyone else. Why? Did something happen?”

“I don’t think so. Not yet, anyway. Just help keep an eye on him? There was a rumor going around that he was seen talking to Catalina yesterday. I'm worried about what she’s planning, what with that race coming up.” She placed both hands on Dick’s shoulders, giving him a stern look. “And be careful. I know you’re going to watch Jason’s back, which is good, he needs all the help he can get. But watch yourself out there.”

“I will, Babs.” He had gotten enough of that sort of warning from Jason. He knew to be careful. Still, he knew Barbara was just worried, so he lifted his own hands to squeeze hers, hoping to reassure. “I was just about to have breakfast. Care to join me?”

With a small shake of her head, Barbara pulled her hands back. “Thanks for the offer, but I actually gotta get home. Kori’s coming over to work on a school project with me. Rain check?”

Dick agreed to it, giving her a goodbye hug before watching her get back in her car and drive off. His mind raced with everything they had talked about as he walked off to get his breakfast and start the day.

---

The morning of the race, Jason rolled the car down the driveway in front of the Manor, Roy on the passenger side, helping him. Once it was out on the driveway, Roy stood back and let out a low whistle at the newly restored car. The glossy cherry red paint looked amazing as it glinted in the sunlight. “It’s beautiful, Jay.”

Still riding on the high of fully restoring the car, Jason couldn’t help but agree as he got in the front seat and gripped the steering wheel. “It drives beautifully too.”

Roy got in the passenger seat, leaning back in the newly upholstered seats. They both sat there, admiring just how different the car was now. “You know you don't have to compete today, right? I'll do it,” Roy quietly said, eyes focused on the glove box.

Jason sighed as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “The Joker wants me. If I don't do this, he won't leave us alone.”

Deciding not to point out that there was no guarantee Joker would keep his promise, Roy instead asked, “So, this really is your last race?” He flicked his eyes over to Jason, only to quickly avert them when his friend cracked open an eye to look back at him.

“Yes. It is. It’s time I change, Roy. It’s my senior year. I'm going to college, and I'm with Dick. I can't keep messing around with this stuff. Especially with how bad the Jokers are getting.” He knew they were involved in the drug trade, but he also heard rumors of murders and gang violence. He didn’t want to be associated with that. Not anymore. “It’s a stress on me. It’s a stress on my family. And I just want some more stability in my life.” He was surprised he was admitting all of this, but it felt good. To finally reveal what he actually wanted and to let go of another lie that was his persona. He also knew he would have to make some big changes if he wanted his relationship with Dick to persist. He had gone without it before, and he was not eager to return to that. It was never slipping through his fingers again, this love and happiness.

Roy nodded. “I’m happy for you. And if there’s anything I can do, just let me know.” He reached over to grip at Jason's arm. “I'm glad you’re changing, Jay. Going after what you want.”

Even though it wouldn’t deter his decision, it was still nice to get that reassurance that he was accepted. “Thanks, Roy. You’ll find happiness soon too. I know you will.” He offered him a smile before starting the car, and pulling out of the driveway. “Now, let’s go win this thing.”

---

Jason and Roy ended up getting there first, before the Jokers and the rest of the T-birds. Well, they would have been first if Dick wasn’t there, leaning against his motorcycle. And he would look cool, if it wasn’t for his bright yellow shirt reflecting terribly in the afternoon sunlight. Jason had offered to pick him up, but with Roy with him, Dick decided it would be best if they just met there.

“You’re so slow. How do you expect to win the race like that?” Dick teased, pushing off to walk over to their car.

Jason grinned as he turned off the car, before stepping out and meeting him halfway. “I'll have you cheering me on from the sidelines. How can I not win?”

Humming, Dick tilted his head as ran his hands under Jason’s jacket, fingers skimming along his shirt. “Are you sure I'll be rooting for you? What if I decide to switch sides?”

“Well, that would just break my heart, Dickiebird.” Jason gave him a mock hurt look, even pouting a bit.

“You’re lucky I don’t want to do that.” He leaned up to brush his lips against Jason’s. “You’re hotter than them, anyway.”

Jason chuckled softly, but it was lost to a proper kiss. That is until they heard Roy groaning behind them. “I don't need to see this.”

Pulling back, Dick leaned around Jason to smirk at Roy. “No one said you had to. Look at something else.”

“Like…? In case you haven’t noticed, Dickhead, we’re kind of in the middle of a quarry. There’s not much to look at.”

Dick looked around, smirk growing as he landed on something off to his right. “What about that pile of rocks?”

“They are nice rocks,” Jason said, trying desperately to hold in his laughter, but he was failing.

“Ha ha.” Roy leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms like a petulant child. “I hate both of you.”

The couple laughed as another car pulled up. Jason tensed slightly before realizing it was just the rest of the T-birds pulling up in Raven’s car.

“About time!” Roy exclaimed, climbing out of the car. “I had to be an awkward third wheel to the lovebirds over there.”

“We barely did anything!” Dick defended, glaring at Roy. “Someone was complaining too much.”

As Artemis stepped out of the car, she snickered at Roy’s exasperated expression. “Wow, glad we missed all of that.”

“I know! Disgusting, right?” Roy’s face twisted up with mock revulsion.

“I think she was more referring to your complaining,” Raven commented with that ghost of a smile of hers. “At least, that's what I would be referring to.”

“I feel so ganged up on right now.” Roy scowled at each of them, but it looked more like a pout which just encouraged his friends teasing laughter even more.

Unfortunately, the good mood was ruined by two separate cars pulling up. The Jokers had arrived.

Jason moved to stand in front of Dick as Catalina smirked at him and waved. Miriam followed her line of sight to also see Dick, and all but squealed, completely lighting up. Jason scowled at them, which didn’t seem to intimidate them in the slightest.

The Joker laughed as he noticed the exchange. “Looks like my girls here are taking a liking to your friend there. Going to let them have a playdate while the grownups talk?”

“Leave him alone, Joker. This is between you and me.” He put himself more in between Dick and Joker, which Dick didn’t know if it annoyed him, or made him stupidly happy. He could defend himself, so as a small act of rebellion, he stood next to Jason instead, causing his boyfriend to sigh tiredly.

Joker raised his hands in surrender, hopping out of the car to begin inspecting it. “ I won't bother him. Can't exactly speak for those two though.” He gestured over to Miriam and Catalina. “Hard to stop young love.”

Jason’s scowl deepened, but Dick was the one who spoke up. “I’ve actually met one of them before. But Jason and I are kind of dating now so-"

“Oh! You are?” Catalina asked, looking surprised though it seemed fake to Jason. “Well, we wouldn’t want to come between that, would we, Miri?”

“You know, you remind me of a younger version of my ex. He was quite the charmer,” Miriam purred, fingers waving in a shy wave. The non sequitur led everyone to believe she wasn’t really listening to the conversation.

“But, we’ll respect your relationship.” Catalina elbowed Miriam who snapped to attention.

“Right! We’ll just keep you company while your boyfriend races.” Miriam smiled, looking entirely too cheerful. It kind of unnerved Dick.

He wasn’t sure how to politely shoot them down, but luckily, he didn't have to as Jason stepped in. “Thanks for the offer, but he’ll be sticking with me.” Grabbing onto Dick’s hand, he pulled him over to the car and popped the hood to check the transmission. He kept glancing at Catalina and Miriam to get them to stay away, which meant he wasn’t really focused on the car. Not to mention, he only had one hand, refusing to let go of Dick’s like he might disappear if he did.

“Jason.” He was so busy glaring at the two women, he didn’t hear the call, so Dick tried again. “Jason.”

The tone broke him out of it, turning to look at Dick with a regretful smile. “Sorry, I just don't trust them.”

“I understand, but they haven't done anything, and you need to focus. Make sure the car is good so you don’t die.” Slipping his hand out of Jason’s, he gave him a small kiss on the cheek. “Let me handle them. I'll be careful, I promise.”

Jason knew Dick was right, but he also didn’t like it. He also knew Dick would be stubborn so he relented. “But take one of the T-birds with you.” He straightened up to take off his jacket and hand it to Dick.

“What’s this for?” Dick took it, feeling the nice leather between his fingertips. Once he realized Jason wanted him to wear it, Dick slipped it on, instantly loving the warmth and feel of it, even though it was slightly too big. He also loved the fact that he now got a perfect view of Jason’s arms.

As soon as Dick had it on, Jason cupped his face. “So that they knew who you’re with.” Pulling Dick into a passionate kiss, he kept his eyes trained on the two women. They were glaring back, which Jason thought was ridiculous given it was his boyfriend. He closed his eyes, deciding to just focus on kissing Dick stupid before he sacrificed himself to the wolves.

Normally, he was careful to keep Dick quiet with his moans when they were in public. But for right now, he was okay with it. Even encouraged it as he lapped his way into his boyfriend’s mouth, and attempted to pull him closer. Dick eagerly moved in, reaching up to wrap his hands around Jason’s wrists. When they were finally running out of air, Jason separated from him slowly, opening his eyes and smirking at Dick’s dazed expression. “Watch yourself, yeah?”

“I was going to, until you did that! Now I'm all dazed and sluggish, and just want to kiss you again and- ugh. You’re the worst.” Dick crossed his arms, glaring at Jason before walking over, grabbing Conner- who was the only one not working on the car- and heading over to Catalina and Miriam.

Something about Miriam and Catalina’s smiles set Jason on edge, but Conner was with Dick. And he could handle himself, it was fine. He went back to focusing on the car, making sure it was ready for the race.

Dick felt a bit ridiculous at basically having a bodyguard with him, but if it helped Jason feel better, he guessed he could put up with it. And he could admit, having Conner with him did help him feel a bit better.

“Aw, you didn't need to bring him along, Dickie. He’ll just feel left out.” Catalina gave a sympathetic look to Conner who narrowed his eyes at her.

“I'm sure he’ll be fine.” Dick smiled politely at the two women. Best to try to keep things civil. “I mostly came over here to get you to stop distracting Jason.”

Catalina and Miriam laughed, with Miriam moving closer as she said, “Now that you’re here, who cares about Jason?”

Dick glanced over at his boyfriend, catching him lifting up his t-shirt to wipe at the sweat on his forehead. The abs that became visible because of that were something Dick definitely cared about. When Jason dropped his shirt and caught his eye, the smile that formed was so loving and caring, Dick knew he definitely cared about that as well.

“Now, now, Dickie. It’s rude to ignore your company.” Catalina tried to step closer, but she was pushed back by Conner.

“Back off,” he growled, hands balling into fists at his sides.

Miriam stepped up to Conner with a giggle. “If you wanted some attention, all you had to do was ask.”

Stopping her hand from trailing down his cheek, Conner squeezed her hand almost painfully tight. “Not interested. And neither is Dick. I won't warn you again.” He dropped her hand, stepping back a bit.

“You’re just a dog with all bark, and no bite,” Catalina taunted, closing the distance between her and Conner. “I suggest you leave us alone, or you won't like the consequences.”

“You don't scare me.” Conner squared his shoulders, obviously tensing for a fight.

Stepping between them, Dick tried to work on de-escalating the situation. “Guys, now is not the time to-" He cut himself off with a yelp when he felt a hand skim his ass. Jason hadn’t even attempted to touch him like that- not since they got back together- so the touch had become foreign. Whipping around, he noticed Catalina giving him a wicked grin.

“It felt just as good as it looks.”

Dick looked horrified while Conner pushed him out of the way again. “I fucking warned you.” He lifted his hand to hit her, but it was stopped.

“Kon, it’s- it’s fine,” Dick stuttered before clearing his throat and letting go of Conner’s hand. He wanted to prove that he didn’t need to be watched over. He could deal with this. Besides, the touch wasn't anything he hadn’t dealt with before. “I’m sure she just didn't think I would mind. She didn't know. Right, Catalina?” He glanced at her as she nodded and smiled.

“Of course! I just didn't know. If you have a problem with it, I'll keep my touches… innocent.” She gave them both her most charming smile, but Dick was starting to realize Jason was right. He needed to watch himself around Catalina.

“You won’t be touching him at all,” Conner spit out, body not losing any if it’s tenseness. “You both need to stay away from him. It won’t end well for you if you don’t.”

Both women agreed, even backing up a bit. But Dick was on guard now, a bit more wary about them as he made sure to stay by Conner.

Meanwhile, Jason had missed the entire exchange, focusing on the car. His ignorance didn’t last long, though. The Joker made sure of that.

“Your relationship must not mean much to him.” Jason tried to ignore him, but of course Joker continued. “To just let anyone touch him so intimately. With you right there! That must be rough.”

Scowling, Jason looked up and over from where he was bent over the car. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

Joker laughed, which was honestly a bit grating to the ears. “You didn’t see that ass grab?”

Jason’s gaze snapped over to Dick, but all he saw was Conner standing in the middle, and Dick looking a bit disgusted, but putting on his classic brave face. The one Jason always saw through. He was about to head over to comfort him- fuck the race, his boyfriend needed him- but he was stopped in his plans by the Joker talking again.

“I’m just trying to help you out here, pal! He doesn’t seem worth it. Kind of a slut if you ask me.” He was grinning madly, knowing he struck a nerve.

Something snapped in Jason as he tackled Joker to the ground and began hitting him in the face, but the bastard just kept laughing. Jason ended up splitting his lip, and he might have broken his nose. Unfortunately, before he could do any worse, he was quickly pulled off by Artemis and Roy.

“Let me go! I'm going to fucking kill him!” Jason yelled as he struggled against his friends’ grasp.

At the commotion, Dick looked over with wide eyes, only to spot one of the Jokers messing with one of the tires. “Hey!” he shouted at them, running to get to the car. When the guy heard the shout, he gave the tire one last good hit with the crowbar, puncturing it. Satisfied, he threw the crowbar down, gave Dick a wink, and retreated back to his gang.

Joker spit out some blood as he was pulled to his feet. “You should not be so easy! Make your weaknesses a little harder to spot, give me some challenge.” He watched with a manic grin as Dick hesitantly approached, focus entirely on Jason.

“Jay, they punctured the tire.”

Eyes going wide, Jason wanted to punch himself for being such an idiot. That he fell for such an obvious trap. He ripped away from his friends to check for the spare tire, finding it was missing as well.

“Oh, that’s too bad.” Joker gave an exaggerated frown, but it only lasted for a second as a grin reappeared. “This should be a fun race!” He cackled as he walked back to his car.

Dick whirled on Jason, fear and quite a bit of anger cutting through. “I knew this was a bad idea. Such a fucking bad idea! This is why you don't agree to no holds barred races!”

Jason was at a loss on what to say- he already felt like an idiot- but Roy cut in anyway, looking up from patching the tire. “I did the best I could, but it probably won’t last under all the stress of a street race.” He stood up and got in the passenger seat, trying to avoid the scowl Dick sent his way before turning back to Jason.

Directing his attention away from Dick’s glare, Jason nodded. “As long as it gets me through the race.”

“You can’t still seriously be doing this,” Dick said, incredulity strong in his tone.

“I have to. It’s the only way out.” Jason finally brought his gaze back to Dick, wincing as his anger seemed to intensify.

“Bullshit! How can you be this stupid!?” He pushed at Jason’s chest, actually hurting him a bit with the force of it. It was a good outlet for his frustration.

“I thought you already knew how stupid I was?” It didn't get the laugh, or at least lessen the anger as he was hoping. Jason leaned down a bit to kiss his forehead. “I have to do this, Dickie. This is part of why I didn't want you here. I didn't want you to worry. It’s not the first time Joker has pulled a stunt like this.” He pulled back with a small grin before turning to get into the car. Once behind the wheel, he adjusted the rearview mirror. “I can't give up now.”

Dick stared at him for a beat with round eyes. “Unbelievable!” He muttered to himself, throwing his hands up in frustration. Stalking forward, he grabbed onto Jason’s shirt, and pulled him forward to smash their lips together. The kiss was messy, sloppy, and inelegant, but it did help get some of Dick’s anger out, which was something. When they separated, Dick looked straight into Jason’s eyes, fire burning in his gaze. “Don’t die out there. Come back to me.”

The intensity in Dick’s eyes honestly scared Jason a bit. He was sure if he survived this, Dick was going to kill him himself. “I'll do my best,” Jason mumbled, offering another sad sort of smile before giving him one more kiss. “And I'll kill Catalina later for touching you.”

Dick blinked at the comment before huffing, and pulling back. Honestly, with how much Catalina was unnerving him, he wouldn’t terribly mind Jason doing something. “Maybe not murder. We can come up with something good, later. Of course, that means you can't die.”

“Guess I'm not dying then.” He gave Dick a wink which earned him another huff of laughter. Jason was relieved Dick’s frustration seemed to have faded a bit. As his boyfriend walked off, Jason faced forward again, preparing himself for the race.

Both Joker and Jason started up their cars. While Jason narrowed his eyes in concentration, the Joker let out a holler of excitement. As Artemis walked by, she patted Jason’s shoulder and whispered, “We’re rooting for you, Jay. Be safe out there.” She sauntered out in front of the two cars, standing between them and raising her hands up. Looking between the two cars, she quickly brought her hands down, and they were off.

The race had begun.

Soon into it, Jason grit his teeth, holding onto the wheel tighter as he pushed the car harder. The tire was rattling dangerously, close to blowing it seemed. His stress was only heightened when Roy spoke up.

“Jay, they have spikes!” Roy shouted to be heard over the roaring engines. Jason was confused until he looked over and did indeed see spikes sticking out of their hubcaps. He tried to veer away, but the Jokers were quick to follow.

“I just love when there’s no rules to hold me back! Gotta love that brush of death!” Joker cackled as he once again tried to ram into Jason.

Back at the starting line, Dick watched, biting his lip. Catalina and Miriam were still keeping their distance, which would have been troubling if Dick thought to focus on anything but the race. Artemis made her way over to him and grabbed his shoulder.

“He’ll be okay. He… mostly knows what he’s doing, and this is far from his first race.”

“It’s his first race with no rules though, isn’t it?” He didn’t mean to snap at her, she was just trying to help. But he was on edge and worried. She seemed to understand as she gave him a sympathetic squeeze to his shoulder.

“That’s true, but he's also smart. You know our Jaybird. He'll be fine.” She gave him a final smile before turning back to the race.

Jason was not fine. The tire was officially blown, and if the Jokers got too much closer, some more tires would get shred. He needed to do something quick, or him and Roy would go careening right into a concrete wall. That’s when an idea struck him. He drove closer to the wall, Roy flashing him a horrified look.

“What the fuck are you doing!? We should be getting away from the wall!” Roy was torn between looking at the wall, or the Jokers, both getting too close for comfort.

Jason ignored him, focusing on going faster and getting the timing right. When the Jokers pulled back to ram into them again, Jason waited until the right moment before slamming the brakes to slow down, barely missing the edge of their car as the Jokers missed and hit against the wall instead. The spikes hit against the concrete sending sparks flying. They ended up slowing down as the car swerved, allowing Jason to speed around them, easily pass and fly across the agreed upon finish line. Roy let out a holler of victory as he turned in his seat to see the Jokers glaring behind them. Jason had a smile of his own as he swung around and rejoined their friends at the starting line.

“Holy shit! Holy fuck, we actually won! We almost died, but we won!” Roy exclaimed, shaking Jason’s shoulder with one hand and running a hand through his hair with the other.

Jason let out a breathless laugh, amazed that they actually got through that in one piece. And with the car still in pretty good condition. He stumbled back when something flew into his arms. Laughing, he wrapped his arms around Dick, spinning him around in circles as his boyfriend peppered his face in kisses.

“You’re so lucky you didn't die. I would have summoned you back from the dead, just to kill you all over again,” Dick said in between kisses.

“As long as I got to see you somehow.” Jason stopped spinning them so he could capture Dick’s mouth in a proper kiss. It was short lived by Joker sarcastically clapping.

“Oh, what a touching display! It brings a tear to the eye.” Joker pretended to wipe a tear away as he rolled a tire over to Jason. “But we aren’t done yet. I'm thinking, we have one last race.”

Jason glared, letting go of Dick to step closer to Joker. “That was it, I told you I was out!”

“But Jason, this was a no rules race. Meaning there are no rules! Isn’t it great? So if I say the race isn’t done, it isn't done.” He watched as Roy picked up the tire to inspect it with a maniacal grin. “That’s your tire, in case you’re wondering. And I would start replacing it, or you’re going to give us a huge head start!”

Roy looked to Jason who nodded, so Roy took to replacing the tire. “What game are you playing, Joker?” Jason asked, crossing his arms with his gaze never leaving the crazed clown.

“Ooh, that’s an excellent idea! Let’s play a game! The prize, your brothers.”

Jason’s eyes widened, before he completely stepped up into Joker’s face, ready to attack him once again. “That wasn't the deal.”

Gasping dramatically, Joker patted his heart. “ I went back on a deal!? How dare I do something totally in character for me? Oh, wait.”

“You agreed to leave my family out of this-"

“That was before you said you were leaving! I gotta find some new toys now, really get at Brucie. That is, unless you win. In which case, I have no one else to go after, now do I?” Joker smiled as innocently as he could, batting his eyelashes.

Dick pulled Jason away, grabbing onto his arms and trying to catch his eye. “You can’t seriously be considering this.”

“They’re my brothers, Dick. My baby brothers. I can't leave them,” Jason told him, voice cracking a bit at the thought of losing them.

“I know, Little Wing. But what if he's lying?” Dick hated seeing Jason like this, so he tried to keep his voice low and soft, and his touches gentle to hopefully soothe him a bit.

Jason considered that before looking back over to Joker. “Where are they?”

“Well, I imagine little Timmy is at Wayne Enterprises, working as usual. I think he had a meeting today too, right? That poor boy should take a break, but I've always liked him.” Joker said that like it was the highest compliment to be liked by him, which made Jason roll his eyes. “As for Damian, that little spitfire is probably off at his art club, being tutored by dear, old Mrs. Daniels. I'm surprised he hasn't tried to stab her with a pencil yet, honestly.”

So, Joker at least knew where his brothers were, lending some credence to the thought that he wasn’t bluffing. Enough that Jason couldn’t take the chance. Glancing at Roy, he got a thumbs up to let him know the tire had been changed. “Fine. I'll play your stupid game.”

“Excellent! Now, we’re going to split up into two. One for Dami, one for Tim, just to make it more interesting.” He gestured to his two cars, and his gang. “We’ll race to them. Pick your groups, and your vehicles. Chop, chop, we've wasted enough time as it is! You’re lucky I'm still being generous.”

Jason turned to his friends, panic evident in his eyes. But he was the leader, he needed to act it. “So, I'm thinking Kon, Arte and Rae will go after Tim, while Dick, Roy and I, head after Dami-"

“Not so fast,” Catalina called, approaching with Miriam. “There’s someone else you probably want to consider. There is a certain Wally West at our little house party, who might need some saving of his own.”

Both Dick and Roy looked even more scared than before, but it was Artemis who spoke up. “What do you mean? Why would Wally be at a party for the Jokers?”

“Don't know. That seems like something to ask him. But I’d definitely not leave him for too much longer. He wasn’t doing so well last I saw.” Catalina grinned, knowing she had Dick by the way he glanced back at Jason worriedly.

Jason knew it, too. “Dick, you can’t-"

“We don't have time to argue about this Jason. Wally’s my friend, I have to help him.” Dick knew Catalina could be lying, but with Barbara telling him there was that rumor of Wally talking to Catalina before… it was too much of a risk. He looked to be pleading with Jason to say yes, but his boyfriend knew he was going either way.

“I'll go with him,” Roy offered as Jason opened his mouth to speak. “I care about Wally, despite everything we’ve been through. If he’s in trouble, I want to help him.”

Jason knew he was outnumbered here, so he gave in. They didn't have much more time to discuss this anyway. “Fine, I'll go with Arte to get Dami, Kon will go with Rae to get Tim, and you and Roy can go get Wally.”

Once everyone was in agreement, the second race began. Conner and Raven got into Raven’s car, and took off against the first group of Jokers to race to get to Tim.

“I feel a sense of deja vu,” Dick commented as he got in Jason’s car. Since they were transporting Wally, they would need the extra space. Catalina and Miriam got in the backseat so they could direct them to the party.

“Yeah, except this time, you’re in the race as well.” Leaning over into the car a bit, he brushed his lips lightly against Dick’s. “Be safe, and contact me as soon as you have Wally. Don't leave Roy’s side.”

“I'll be safe. You’re the one actually going against the Joker.” Smiling, Dick pressed their lips together briefly before pulling back and cupping Jason’s cheek.

“Yeah, and you’re the one with these two.” He grabbed onto Dick’s hand, returning the smile before it dropped into a serious frown. Turning to the backseat, he glared at the two women. “Touch him, and you’re dead. Anything happens to him, you’re dead. So much as breathe in his direction and-"

“We’re dead! Got it, macho man.” Miriam rolled her eyes as she leaned back in her seat.

“Nevermind her. Don't worry, Jason. We’ll take excellent care of him,” Catalina said in a tone that was probably meant to be reassuring, but Jason was anything but.

Roy gave Jason a nod as he got into the driver’s seat. “Don't worry. I've got his back.”

“You better,” Jason warned as Roy started up the car. He turned his head to kiss Dick’s palm before stepping back, allowing them to take off. A loud whistle caught his attention from where he was watching them.

Looking over, he noticed the Joker tapping his wrist, though he definitely wasn’t wearing a watch. “Come on, Jaybird. Don't have all day!”

Jason climbed onto Dick’s motorcycle, Artemis getting on behind him. “Everything’s going to turn out fine. I'm sure of it.” Artemis’s voice was smooth, and confident like she really believed it. Jason wished he felt that way as well, but his stomach just filled up with dread at the thought of how wrong this had all gone.

This was just the beginning of something terrible. He could feel it.

Chapter Text

When Dick had entered the party with Miriam, Catalina, and Roy, his stomach was in knots, and he had a terrible feeling that he had made a terrible mistake. There were people everywhere, couples making out, and loud music blared.

“Where's Wally?” Roy yelled over the noise. Catalina melted into the crowd to talk to another friend, who gave her a small green pill and promised her that it was some of Scarecrow's best work yet. Her disappearance went unnoticed, however, as Roy and Dick looked around, looking for a bright red head of hair.

“I don't know!” Dick yelled back. “Why don't we split up?” Roy shot him a look of alarm.

“Hell no! Jay will murder me!” Roy protested.

“We'll cover more ground! And I'll be fine!” Dick huffed, annoyed at constantly being watched over like a child. He hadn't needed supervision in years! “You go that way-” Dick pointed towards the basement, “-and we'll look up here, checking the kitchen and stuff.”

“Why doesn't Miri come with me?” Roy called.

“Because the upstairs area is bigger! More room to check!” Dick explained with an eye roll. Roy knew all the really bad stuff would be happening in the basement, so he definitely wanted to check it out himself. He nodded and finally agreed.

“Okay. Meet up in 10 minutes!” Roy yelled, and their trio split up. Catalina had yet to reappear, Roy had noticed, and she was not missed

“So, why are you part of this group?” Dick asked Miriam as they searched the living room and kitchen. He didn't get the same vibe he got from Catalina, he didn't think that Miriam really wanted to be a part of this.

“My father made me join when I was 12. I would love to leave, but I can't yet. I'm working to get out, once I save enough money,” Miriam told him honestly. She didn't like the gang lifestyle, and wanted to leave. Make a life for herself that didn't involve this.

“I'm sorry.” He felt bad for her and wanted to help, but he didn't know how he could.

“It's okay. I got to meet you, didn't I?” Miriam winked and Dick laughed.

Dick spotted Wally first, dancing with a woman with dark hair. Dick tugged on Miriam’s arm to point him out, and they made their way over to him.

“Wally!” Dick yelled, getting his attention. Wally turned to look at him, confusion in his eyes, but he smiled at Dick.

“Dickie! How'd you know?” He slurred his words, and Miriam eyed the drink in his hand.

“Come on Walls, let's get you to sit down, okay?” Dick said kindly, and he led Wally to the nearby couch that only one couple was currently on. Wally collapsed ungracefully and moaned as he sunk into the cushions.

“Dick, Dickie, I miss Roy.” Wally moaned, and he leaned forward, putting his head into Dick's shoulder. Dick rubbed his back soothingly, hoping to help his friend.

Turning fully to face his friend, Dick continued to keep his touches gentle as he comforted Wally. “You know he misses you, too.”

“Does he? After everything I've put him through?” Wally leaned back to lock eyes with Dick, sadness swimming in his expression. “I’d understand if he hates me. My dad hates me. I hate myself. I’d understand.”

Though the words were slurred, Dick heard him perfectly. “You know that’s not true, right?” Wally just gave a weak shrug in response, taking another swig of his drink. “What are you doing here, Wally? At a party with the Jokers?”

“I thought it would hurt Roy. And Catalina made such good points. I do need to find another way to cope.” He held up the drink in his hand with a wry grin. “This, this right here? Is more than helping with that.”

Dick took the drink from his hand, and set it down on the coffee table. “There are other ways to deal with what you’re going through. Better ways.” Wally just gave another small shrug, causing Dick to frown.

At this point, he was wondering if it had been ten minutes already. He needed to check in with Roy, but he also couldn’t leave Wally. Not in his state. As he was considering his options- maybe he should call Jason, he was getting a bad feeling- Miriam spoke up.

“Maybe he should have some water, or something?”

Dick nodded, agreeing with that. At the same time, he didn't exactly trust any of the Jokers around food and drinks. Jason’s words about not trusting them was circling in his head. So, he came to a decision. “Yeah, can you watch him? I'll be right back.”

Sitting down on the other side of Wally, Miriam gave him a smile as she stopped Wally from grabbing his drink again. “You can count on me, Dickie.”

It was at moments like this he really thought Jason was overreacting about Miriam and Catalina. Returning the smile, he gave Wally a few more gentle pets to the head before standing up. “I'll be right back, okay?”

Wally mumbled incoherently as he slumped in his seat. Dick took that as a yes, walking off to the kitchen. It was hard to find any water bottles, so he had to grab two red cups, and fill them up with tap water. Taking a sip from one of them, he made his way back to Wally, pleased to see Miriam was still sitting with him, whispering softly. Dick handed one cup out to Wally, sitting back down as his friend took it.

“What am I gonna do, Dick?” Wally quietly asked, staring into his water as if it held all the answers. It was almost hard to hear thanks to the loud music, and sounds of the party, but since Dick was so close, he heard it.

His mouth twisted into a frown as he placed his own water down and dragged Wally into a hug. Over his shoulder, he asked Miriam to go find Roy. Once she was gone, Dick leaned back and grabbed onto Wally’s shoulders. “Nobody hates you, Wally. Everyone wants you to be happy again. We miss you.”

“But… I'm right here?” Wally looked genuinely confused, causing Dick to sigh. It was obvious he was too drunk for any of Dick’s words to really get through, so they just sat in silence for a bit, Wally taking occasional sips of his water.

After a few more moments, Roy appeared, but Miriam was nowhere to be seen. “There you are! It’s way past 10 minutes! Are you trying to get Jason to murder me?” Roy shouted over the music as he approached, having only spotted Dick as Wally was hunched into his chest. As soon as Wally heard the voice though, his head snapped up.

“Roy? Dickie, Roy’s here? Why is Roy here?” He looked up at Roy with confusion. “Why are you here?”

Roy was by his side in an instant, sitting down and gently pulling him away from Dick. He cupped his face, frowning as he tilted his head up to the light. “How much have you had to drink?”

It was Dick who answered with, “Too much,” before taking another drink of his water.

“I'm so sorry, Roy. I know you hate me, and I deserve it. I'm so sorry,” Wally started shaking his head, just repeating apologies quietly under his breath.

“No! Wally, no, I do not hate you. I could never hate you.” Roy pulled him into his chest, gently stroking his hair as he tried to shush Wally’s apologies.

Dick reached out to pat Wally’s back as well, but he was interrupted by a yell. “Hey! T-birds aren’t welcome here!” Turning around on the couch, Dick noticed an angry teen, about his age, glaring down at him. He was lost on what the guy was yelling about. Roy had left his jacket out in the car, and Dick wasn’t a part of them. That is, until he looked down and realized he was still wearing Jason’s jacket, the leather too comfortable and warm for him to want to take off. It also was kind of stupid, but it helped make him feel a bit safer in an unfamiliar environment.

“Oh, no I’m not actually a T-Bird,” Dick tried to explain, hoping the guy would leave him alone once he knew Dick wasn’t actually a part of this world. That was apparently asking too much.

“So, you’re just their whore? Because you still aren't welcome.” The guy crossed his arms, eyes narrowing as he set his jaw.

Setting his water down once again, Dick’s expression gained a hard edge as he stood up. Roy flashed him a worried look over Wally’s head, but was distracted as the teen in his arms started actually crying. Dick spared him a quick glance before focusing on the teen in front of him again. “Take care of him, I got this.”

Roy didn't look like he totally believed that, but his attention was getting split as it was. Especially once Wally began sobbing harder, breaths coming out harsh and repeating words, obviously in the middle of a complete breakdown. So, Roy took to comforting him, trusting Dick could handle the situation as he tried to calm Wally down. The sooner he was calmer, the sooner they could leave. It would be hard to move him in this state.

“Look, we’re just here to pick up our friend, then we’re leaving. We don’t want any trouble,” Dick addressed the guy, bringing his hands up a bit as if trying to soothe a wild animal.

“You asked for trouble the moment you came in here wearing that, whore,” the guy sneered, taking a step closer to Dick, body tensed like a predator about to pounce.

Dick’s own body tensed, shoulders hunching as his fists clenched. He was so focused on staring the guy down, watching his movements, he didn't notice the reappearance of Miriam and Catalina. Which meant he also didn’t notice Catalina drop a pill into his drink.

“Leave him alone, Brad. They’re with us,” Miriam said, moving closer to stand next to Dick, crossing her arms.

“They’re off limits. Or should we tell the Joker how you went against two of the top people in the gang?” Catalina added, standing on Dick’s other side. Now in between the women, Dick felt himself relax a bit as he had the backup.

The teen- Brad, apparently- had paled at the threat, but still scoffed. “Whatever.” He quickly scurried away.

Dick let out a sigh of relief as he sat back down on the couch. “Thanks for the help.” He smiled at both of them, though it was a bit shaky. The thought of how close he had come to getting into a fight with one of the Jokers was a scary one. He could take the one guy just fine, but he didn’t care to think about what would have happened if the whole party turned on them, instead of ignoring them as they currently were. To help calm himself, he took a huge drink of his water, finishing it off.

Catalina grinned at him, extremely pleased look in her eye. “Of course, Dickie! Any time.”

Wally looked to finally be calming down, hiccups escaping every now and then as he looked up at Roy. Tear tracks were evident, and his eyes were bloodshot. “There’s so much I want to tell you, Roy. So much I have to explain.”

“And you can. Once we get you someplace that's not a party. And maybe after you sober up a bit.” Roy offered him a smirk, relief coloring it as he stood up and held a hand out to Wally. “Think you can walk?

Nodding, Wally stood up, but immediately stumbled, almost falling back onto the couch. Roy swiftly leaned down and picked Wally up bridal style, eliciting a surprised gasp from the other teen.

“You’re so strong,” Wally cooed, head lolling against Roy’s chest. “I always knew it. I always told people you were the strongest person. Except maybe Jay. Have you seen his arms? Dickie, what's your favorite thing about Jason? Like physically?”

“Thighs,” Dick replied almost instantly. “Though, his eyes and lips are tied for a close second.”

Humming, Wally agreed, hair tickling Roy’s neck as he nodded. “Yeah, I could see that. His thighs are amazing. So strong, and powerful. I still think for me it’s the arms though.”

Dick laughed, but he knew the truth. He had seen Jason’s whole body after all. He would like to call himself an expert on it, becoming intimately familiar with it over summer.

An annoyed look passed over Roy’s face, but he was able to push it away. Wally was drunk, he didn't really know what he was saying. And Roy would be lying if he said he didn’t think about Jason every once in a while. Roy wasn’t blind; his friend was hot. Shaking his head of his thoughts, he hitched Wally up slightly more in his arms and decided to shut this conversation down. “Okay, let’s get going. You need to sleep off this alcohol.”

Wally settled into Roy’s chest with a content smile as his eyes closed. “As long as you’re there when I wake up.”

Smiling down at him, Roy pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Come on, Dickie. Let's get out of here,” he said, lifting his gaze to lock with Dick’s.

“Yeah, I gotta call Jay too.” Dick stood up, but he must have moved too fast or something, because now his head was spinning. And were the lights always this bright? Was the music always so loud?

“Hey, you doing okay?” Miriam asked, moving closer to Dick and placing a hand on his shoulder.

Dick startled a bit at the touch as he stumbled more over towards Roy. “Yeah, my head’s just…” He waved his hands around to try to describe it.

“Floaty?” Catalina supplied, causing Dick to snap his fingers.

“Yes! That's it exactly! How did you know?” His brow furrowed as he looked around, before leaning in a bit. “Are you a psychic? Like with ESPN?”

That pleased look was back in Catalina’s eyes, while Roy just groaned. “I thought you didn't drink anything! I can't handle both you and Wally on my own!”

“I didn’t!” Dick defended, though his words were starting to slur a bit. “Except water. I might be drunk on water. Can you get drunk on water?” He squinted as he tried to puzzle it out.

Roy sighed, arms starting to get tired from holding Wally up. “Well, it seems you got the drinks mixed up.” He eyed the many cups on the coffee table, only two of them containing water. In Dick’s shakiness, he must have accidentally grabbed the wrong one. “Okay, Dickie, I need you to try to walk. Can you walk?”

Dick walked the last little bit to Roy, stumbling a bit, but not close to falling over like Wally was. It was still enough to make Roy slightly worried though. He looked to Catalina and Miriam, hating as he had to ask, “Can you two help me get him out to the car?”

“Sure,” Miriam said, slinging one of Dick’s arms over her shoulders as Catalina took the other side. Roy hated the look on Catalina’s face, like she was plotting something, but he supposed she always looked like that.

Roy began leading the way out, walking as quickly as he could to the front door to get Wally out. Though, it was slow going as the house was huge, and there were people everywhere . Not to mention, he completely forgot the way to the door. He cursed when he glanced behind him, only to realize Dick, Catalina, and Miriam were nowhere to be seen.

With each step, the music and sounds of the party were ringing in Dick’s ears. His head began pounding hard enough to make his eyes well up with tears as people turned into blurs, and vague shapes. The lights weren’t helping either, and the pounding in his head was making him a bit nauseated. He came to a stop, pulling Catalina and Miriam to a stop with him.

“You okay, Dickie?” Miriam asked as he screwed his eyes shut, hoping to stop the jackhammering in his head.

“My head… I can’t- I feel like I'm going to throw up.” His breaths were turning harsh and short, and his thoughts were getting fuzzy.

Miriam shared a look with Catalina, both of them deciding wordlessly to turn down another hall. They brought Dick to a quiet, dark, empty bedroom and sat him down on the bed.

Almost instantly, the music was muffled, calming Dick’s headache. The darkness of the room helped too, allowing him to open back up his eyes as he laid back on the bed. Slowly, the nauseous feeling went away, but he wasn’t sure he could get up again for a while. Face the party again. His limbs felt heavy, and unresponsive. Distantly, he knew he needed to be around Roy, or call Jason, but he was so tired.

Catalina turned to Miriam. “Go find Roy. Tell him Dick had to sit down after having a really bad headache. He probably only needs a few minutes for it to pass.”

Miriam nodded, giving Dick one more concerned look before slipping out, closing the door behind her. Once Dick was alone with Catalina, he got a really bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Struggling to sit up, he heard soft shushing as he was pushed back down on the bed.

Dick shook his head weakly as he noticed Catalina taking off her jacket. “What are you doing?”

“Just getting more comfortable,” she purred, as she climbed on top of Dick, straddling his hips. She grinned down at him before planting a kiss right on his lips. “It’s okay. Just let me take care of you.” Sitting back up, she took Dick’s jacket off, then took to working on his shirt.

“Cat… no, I'm not…” Dick protested, but his movements were too sluggish, and his limbs felt like lead. And once Jason’s jacket was off, he felt so cold, vulnerable, and truly alone.

“Shh.” She placed a finger to his lips, other hand running down his chest once his shirt was off. “I’ve wanted you since that dance. It’s not fair for Jason to keep all this to himself.”

As she started working off her dress, Dick shut his eyes tight, trying to jerk away. Push her off of him. But his limbs weren’t responding, and each harsh movement sent another spark of pain up to his head.

He sincerely hoped Roy would realize he was missing and come for him soon.

Meanwhile, Roy was retracing his steps, shouting for Dick as he tried to keep a secure hold on Wally. He knew he shouldn’t have let him out of his sight. He cursed himself for being so stupid.

Wally looked up at him, quizzical look on his face. “Is Dick missing? Or is this your way of propositioning people? Because I'm not sure how effective just shouting out dick and hoping someone responds will be.”

Roy tried to hush Wally, so he could hear if Dick called back. But Wally was having none of it, shushing Roy back, giggling, and rambling loudly about nonsensical things. There was a bit of hope though as he ran into Miriam. “Hey, where the fuck is Dick!?” His tone was clipped, and terse as he scowled at Miriam.

Ignoring the scowl, Miriam crossed her arms. “I was actually just coming to tell you that Dick got a headache. He’s resting in another room, and it should just be a few minutes. He kept saying he was going to puke.”

Roy glanced down at Wally, who was babbling on about the color red for some reason. He really needed to get him out of here. Fresh air would probably help sober him up a bit too. “Five minutes. If he doesn’t join me in five minutes-"

“I'm getting him water, and I'll start helping him out in five minutes. Just go.” She pointed him towards the door, before turning and leaving without another word.

Letting out a groan of frustration, Roy made his way to the front door and out to the car. There were some Jokers hanging around outside, giving him wary looks as he passed. He ignored them all, working on settling Wally in the backseat. He knew he was giving Dick five minutes, but then what? He couldn’t leave Wally out here alone, not with the Jokers milling about outside, and Wally drunk off his ass. He knew he needed backup, so he called Jason.

---

Jason was anxious, speeding down the roads to try to get to Damian’s school. He had ended up losing the Jokers at one point, meaning he had no idea where they were. If they were already at Damian’s school. He pushed the gas harder with that thought.

About 10 minutes later, he screeched to a stop in front of Damian’s school. He didn’t see the Jokers car anywhere, but that didn’t stop him from hopping off Dick’s bike, throwing off his helmet and running inside.

He skidded down hallways, Artemis following close behind him as they ran to Damian’s classroom. Luckily, the school was empty due to it being a Saturday, so they didn't have to try to push their way past a hallway full of bewildered kids.

After what felt like an eternity, Jason found the art room, throwing open the door. All the kids, and Mrs. Daniels turned to look at him with wide eyes. Except for Damian, who looked shocked for all of one second before settling into a grimace.

Jason ignored it as he made his way to his baby brother, holding him tight against his chest. “Oh, thank God you’re okay.”

“Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?” Damian struggled to get out of Jason’s grip, aware of all his classmates staring at him.

“Dami, please just… let me have this. I thought you were-" His voice broke as he held his brother tighter. “Please.”

Damian stopped his squirming, eyes going round and body going lax at hearing the worry, relief, and vulnerability in Jason’s voice. He used an actual nickname for him too, instead of Demon Spawn or a variation of that. It was enough for Damian to realize how serious this was, so he let Jason hug him to his heart’s content.

There was a few moments of silence, Jason just holding Damian tight and stroking his hair. It wasn’t until Mrs. Daniels cleared her throat that Jason finally pulled back. “Jason, what is the meaning of this?” she asked.

“Sorry, I-" He cut himself off, not knowing what to say. He hadn't wanted to involve the police, let them know he was a part of illegal street racing. Or gang activity. Or underage drinking… There was a lot. It seemed useless anyway, the Joker always escaping prison with in a month. If that. But, if it could buy him some time… “Call the police. There’s a crazy man who threatened my brothers. The Joker. And you should cancel the rest of today’s class. I don't know what he'll do when he finds out I turned him in.”

Mrs. Daniels let out a quiet, “Oh, my,” before doing exactly that. Jason escorted Damian out of school, exiting the double doors right as the Jokers pulled up.

“We ran into traffic, can you believe it!?” The Joker asked, hopping out of his car. “On a Saturday too!”

Jason placed himself in front of Damian, eyes narrowing at the Joker. “We won, you said that was it.”

Artemis tapped Jason on the shoulder to get his attention before whispering, “Stall him. Police should be here any minute.”

With a playful hum, Joker shrugged. “I guess you did. Now you have something to brag about to that little slut of yours. Where is he, anyway?” Joker lifted up his hand to shield his eyes as he scanned the mostly empty parking lot.

“He isn't a slut, and he isn’t your concern.” Jason felt ready to attack again, but Artemis held him back with a gentle, but firm hand gripping his arm. “I’m not playing any of your stupid games any longer. You leave me, my family, and my friends alone!”

“The race isn’t over yet, Jay! What about Timbo?” Joker hummed as he tapped his chin. “I was thinking about making him my apprentice. Take him under my wing, what do you think?”

At this point, Damian pushed his way past Jason to stand in front of him and glower. “What is he talking about, Todd? What is going on?”

“I can't explain right now, just trust me to handle this, okay?” Once Damian gave an assenting nod, Jason pulled out his phone and called Conner, who quickly picked up.

“Jay, I was just about to call! We got Tim, but unfortunately, Bruce was here and he’s not happy.” There was a pause before Conner continued in a low voice, “Rae is trying to talk him down, but I don't think it’s working.”

So, he would get a lecture from Bruce later, but that was fine. Jason had suffered through that before. His brothers were safe. They won. He didn’t even try to stop the smile from forming. It only grew when he heard sirens in the distance, lights roaring down the road toward them.

The Joker heard it, too, turning his head to follow Jason’s gaze with wide eyes. “You turned me in!?” He turned back, looking genuinely angry for the first time all day.

Jason’s smile turned smug as he shrugged. “I double crossed you!? How dare I do something so totally in character for me? Oh, wait.” Throwing Jokers words back at him seemed to annoy him further.

“We both know it won't last!” The Joker spat out, fighting against his gang members who were trying to usher him into the car. “I'll be out before you know it. And I'll come after you! You and your family!"

“Promises, promises,” Jason taunted, which he knew was a bad idea, but he couldn’t help it. He felt too elated with the win. That everything seemed to be actually working out.

The Joker finally got into the car, glaring at Jason before focusing on trying to outrun the cops.

“Jason! What is going on!?” Conner’s voice sounded frantic over the phone. “Are the police there?”

“It’s okay, Kon. They’re going after Joker.” He didn’t even try to hide the fact he was grinning madly.

Conner let out a breath of relief. “Are you telling me we actually won?”

“I think so.” Jason felt his own shoulders relax. “Tell Bruce to send someone for Damian. I gotta call Dick.” His stomach twisted at that. It had been a while since he heard from Dick or Roy. It wouldn’t take that long to get to Wally, right?

“Okay, I'll let you go then. Talk to you soon, Jay.”

They said their goodbyes, and hung up. Just before Jason could call Dick though, his phone rang. Roy was calling. His stomach twisted up more as he answered it.

“Jason, Dick’s missing.”

He knew it. He could never have a win. By this point, his smile completely dropped as he picked up the helmet he dropped earlier. “What do you mean he’s missing?”

“I mean, we got separated. I think Dick accidentally drank something strong instead of his water. Got the cups confused. He was acting really weird, had a headache apparently, and felt close to throwing up.” There was a moment where Roy pulled away from the phone, hushing Wally. “I have Wally, but I can't leave him alone. I need help. I think Dick might be in trouble.”

“Give me directions.” He hopped on the bike, Artemis and Damian approaching him.

“What’s happening?” Artemis asked, concern lacing her tone.

Jason held up a finger as Roy rattled off directions. Once he was finished they hung up, Jason put away his phone, and started up the motorcycle. “Dick and Roy are having trouble. I gotta go help them.” He kept his whole demeanor calm, but was absolutely freaking out inside.

“You can’t go there alone! I'll come with you.” Artemis made to get on behind him, but Jason stopped her.

“You have to stay here with Damian. Wait for Bruce with him. I'll be back.” He slipped on the helmet as Damian huffed.

“I know at least thirty ways to kill someone. I'm sure I can-"

Jason cut his brother off. “Arte is staying with you, that's final. You'll both watch each other’s backs, just in case. We can’t lose more people.” I can't lose anyone else was left unsaid, but was still heard perfectly.

Once they finally agreed, Jason flipped down the visor, and sped off straight to enemy territory.

I'm coming, Dickie.

---

Twenty minutes later, Jason found himself outside Harley’s place. People were spilling out into the lawn, and music was pulsing loudly. The house was two stories and much bigger than Jason had been expecting. Quickly, he spotted Roy as he turned off his bike.

As he approached the car, he yelled out, “Hey, Roy!” to get his attention over the music.

Roy looked up, relief appearing for a split second, before hardening once again. “Hey, Jason, I'm so sorry about-"

“It’s okay. We don’t have time for this. Do you have any idea where he is in the house?”

Shaking his head, Roy was about to respond, but Wally spoke up instead. “Jay! You’re here! We were just talking about you!” He sat up in the car a bit to peer out with a toothy grin. “Are you here to be a dashing prince like Roy was for me? He carried me out bridal style!”

Roy looked to be blushing at Wally’s words, as he smiled at the other teen. Jason would have laughed, but the whole situation was getting to him. He hoped he didn't have to be a dashing prince. That meant Dick would need saving, and Jason sincerely hoped that wasn’t the case. “I’m gonna go look for him. Keep the car running, we might need a quick getaway.”

Once Roy nodded, Jason took off. He was glad he gave Dick his jacket now, hoping that if no one knew he was in the rival gang, he wouldn’t get any trouble. He should have known his luck was never that good as he was recognized almost as soon as he got into the house.

“Hey! Isn’t that Jason Todd from the T-Birds!? You ain't welcome here!” a man shouted, folding his arms as he stared Jason down.

“I'm just looking for one of my own. His name is Dick.” Jason’s hands were twitching with the urge to just punch the guy and be on his way, but it was also just him here, and starting a fight with the Jokers would just hamper him. He was trying to get to Dick quickly, after all.

“Don’t know him. Unless that's your way of saying you want some.” The guy grabbed his crotch and thrust it towards Jason. “It would be fucking perfect to wreck a T-Bird.”

Squaring his shoulders, Jason grit his teeth. He had dealt with these types of guys enough to know it was best to just ignore him. So, he did. Pushed his way past, and continued searching for Dick, yelling out his name periodically.

“If you change your mind, you know where to find me, pretty boy!” The man called out after him, making Jason roll his eyes.

---

After she had informed Roy what happened, Miriam had walked back into the bedroom with some water. She stood, looking shocked as Catalina was practically glowing, pulling her dress back on. Glancing over at Dick, Miriam saw him groaning and mumbling on the bed, twitching with the effects of the drug still coursing through his veins.

“Cat, what did you do?!” Miriam hissed at her.

Smug smirk curling her lips, Catalina shrugged. “What I wanted. I know you want to as well. He looks like your ex boyfriend, he's sweet… and he'll do whatever you want him to do right now. You know you've been waiting for this, amiga.”

Miriam glanced down at the very attractive man laying naked on the bed, still twitching and mumbling words like ‘poison’. Catalina’s smirk grew as she also gazed down at Dick. “And if it makes you feel better, you can always use those amazing mimicking skills of yours to imitate his boyfriend.”

“You mean like this?” Miriam said in a near excellent imitation of Jason's voice. Dick perked up at the sound, a huge dopey smile on his face.

“Jay? That you? Oh, Jay. I've been so scared! I lost your jacket, too…” Dick was rambling, and rolling over to get out of the bed. Miriam stared at him, thoughts racing through her mind. He really did look like Brucie, and Miriam had no doubt that it would be a great time. And while she would prefer him to sleep with her of his own will, this would work too.

Miriam imitated Jason again as she gently shushed him. “It's okay, Dickie.” Smiling down at him, she placed the water down on the nightstand before climbing next to Dick on the bed. Neither of them noticed Catalina slip out. “You know I forgive you. I'll always forgive you.” Straddling his hips, she leaned down to claim his lips, Dick responding eagerly thanks to the imitation.

She began working off her shirt, shivering when Dick moved to help her. His hands moved down her sides, brow furrowing as he gazed at the flesh in front of him. “That's weird. You don’t look like Jay.” He lifted his eyes to lock with Miriam’s.

“Of course I am,” Miriam said, slightly nervous edge to her voice- Jason’s voice. “Your mind's playing tricks on you. You might have had a bit too much to drink.”

Dick shook his head, moving his hands back down to the bed. “Then, we shouldn’t do this. I want our first time back together to be memorable. It’s always the greatest with you, Jay. Even if you tell me I don't know because you’re the only one I've been with.”

Mouth falling open a bit, Miriam gazed down at the teen under her. “You’ve only been with Jas- I mean, me?”

Laughing, Dick rolled his eyes. “Are you sure I'm the one that had too much to drink? You already know that.”

Miriam wasn’t entirely sure if she could follow through with this. Take more of Dick than Catalina already did. But she wanted this. Shouldn’t she be able to have what she wanted? Just once? She knew once Dick got into it again, it would be fine. So, she just hushed his laughing with another kiss. Once she pushed her way into Dick’s mouth, he moaned and grabbed onto her ass, encouraging her to rock against him.

Breaking the kiss, Dick squeezed the flesh in his hands, but not in a sexy way. More in an examining way. “You feel different too.” He once again dropped his hands, brain hurting with his confusion. What was happening right now?

Miriam didn't respond, just once again claimed his lips. She needed to get him to stop touching. Everytime he did, it broke the illusion. She was planning on tying up his hands after she got a bit more of a taste of him. She was interrupted though, by the door flying open. Twisting around, her eyes widened when she saw Jason standing in the doorway looking absolutely livid.

“Get the hell off of him, you bitch!” Jason yelled, barrelling into the room. Miriam moved away quickly, not wanting to get hit as Jason reached them.

“Two Jasons?!” Dick gasped, and Jason didn't know what the hell he was talking about, but he knew it couldn't have been about anything good. Dick reached out to touch Jason's face, and pulled him close. “Jason, Jason, what's going on? I'm so confused, and your jacket is with Catalina and Wally! Is he okay? Do you hate me? Did I mess up? Ov yilo isi?” Jason stared at him in confusion; he had no idea what the last part he had said was.

“It’s okay, Dickie. It's all going to be okay. Let's get you out of here. Put your clothes back on, okay? I've gotta go kick some ass.” Jason glowered out the door the woman had slipped out of and chased after her.

“Jay!” Dick called out, but all Jason could hear was the blood rushing in his ears. He caught up to Miriam first, tackling her to the ground.

Cold fury radiated from his whole body as he gazed down at her. “You fucking cunt, ” he snarled, punching her in the face. He normally didn't hit women, but like fuck was he gonna let that stop him.

Miriam raised up her arms to protect her face. “I didn't do anything!”

“But you were about to!” Jason growled and slammed another fist into her face.

“Get Catalina, she's the one who drugged him!” Miriam yelled at Jason, and that stopped him cold.

He felt sick to his stomach, but the anger overtook it. His eyes turned dark, a murderous glint to them. “Catalina did what?”

“She's the one you should be beating to a pulp, not me!” Miriam was still trying to cover her face as Jason jumped up. He glared down the halls, searching for Catalina’s familiar figure. Eventually he spotted her, but as he stepped over Miriam to start heading over to her, he was interrupted by Dick draping himself over his shoulders. Thankfully, he was dressed again, though his shirt looked to be on backwards.

“Jay, why did you leave me?” He moaned, burying his face into Jason's neck. “I found your jacket, though. So that’s good!” He giggled into Jason’s neck, flapping his arms in the long sleeves.

“Dickie, are you okay?” Jason asked him, wrapping an arm around his waist to hold him steady. Dick was stumbling around, dragging his feet without any of his normal grace.

A dopey grin took over Dick’s features as he gazed up at Jason. “ Arva , I'm fine now that you're here. I just had some water, but I feel like I'm flying! Who knew water could do that!? And there were two of you, can you believe it? It was… um… what's the word? Oh, neat! That's it!” He looked so proud of himself.

“Okay, Dick, let's get you home, okay?” Jason started walking down the stairs, carefully supporting him, Catalina forgotten for the moment in favor of helping Dick.

“Kushti. Si tut bocklo? Mandi bocklo,” Dick said in that strange language again.

Jason was patient with him as he squeezed his waist. “I don't know what you're saying, Dickie.” When they reached the bottom of the stairs, there were a few glances towards them, but no one said anything. The guy that was harassing him before was thankfully nowhere to be seen. When they finally stumbled outside, Wally and Dick both gasped dramatically as they spotted each other.

“Wally!” Dick began trying to struggle out of Jason’s hold to get to his friend.

“Dickie!” Wally was doing the same to Roy.

Luckily, Jason was able to keep his hold as they finally got to the car. “You want to drive the car, I'll follow on Dick’s bike?” he asked Roy as he got Dick into the backseat beside Wally.

Roy nodded, but Dick shook his head as he leaned against Wally. “That’s not acctep- acchepta-” He looked frustrated with himself that he couldn’t say acceptable right. “I don't like it. You can’t leave me again! Weird things happen when you leave. And I feel scared.”

“Will you drive the bike then, Roy?” Jason asked, throwing his best friend the keys to Dick’s motorcycle.

Roy caught them in the air before stepping out of the car. “I got it. Where are we going?”

“Back to… back to the Manor. You can just drop us off and take the car to get Wally home. I don't think Alfred would appreciate everyone trampling in at this hour,” Jason decided. That way the butler could check Dick over, and his secret wouldn’t be given away to Roy and Wally.

“Achh devlesa!” Dick said, waving at the house as Jason got in the car.

Roy glanced at Dick before looking back at Jason. “You don't want to bring him home?”

“Keck, mandi ka atch with Jason!” Dick insisted. Wally looked over at his friend with wide eyes.

“Are we saying random words now!? Acha blacka!” Wally laughed at the gibberish falling out of his mouth.

Dick looked offended at that, but Jason just sighed and focused back on Roy. “No. I don't want him out of my sight until he's better.” His eyes flashed with that murderous look again. He had a good feeling Catalina was behind this, and she would pay. He would make sure of it.

Roy nodded, walking off towards the bike. “Lead the way then.”

With that, Jason started up the car, and once Roy was settled and following him, he drove off. It was surprisingly quiet for a while, Jason glancing into the backseat every once in a while to make sure the two back there were okay. They were whispering quietly to each other about who knows what.

“Jukkal!” Dick gasped suddenly, pointing out the window. Wally stared at him, and Jason glanced in the rearview mirror prompting Dick to gaze back with big, confused eyes. “So?”

“I don't know what that is, Dickie.” When Dick sulked, mumbling more in that language, Jason frowned and hit the gas a bit more.

As they got on the freeway, Wally’s brow scrunched, questioning. “So, if it Isn’t random words, what language is that?”

“Romanes,” Dick said as if it were obvious.

That just confused him more. “I didn't know you were Romanian!” Dick looked offended, mouth hanging open in shock.

“Keck! Romanes, dinilo!” Dick looked to be getting agitated, narrowing his eyes at him.

Wally put his hands up in surrender, getting a bit scared in the face of Dick’s anger. “Okay, I'm sorry!” Dick huffed and crossed his arms.

Thirty minutes later, they were in front of the Manor. Jason stopped the car, and got out to help Dick, who was yawning and kept closing his eyes, falling asleep before jerking awake again.

“Thanks Roy.” Jason gave him a sincere look as he wrapped an arm around Dick’s waist, helping to support him.

“It's the least I can do.” Roy waved it off, taking off his helmet as he turned off the bike. “Let me know how he's doing when you can, yeah?”

“Sure,” Jason agreed. “See you later.”

“Dja devlesa!” Dick said around a yawn as he waved to Wally and Roy as the latter got into the driver’s seat and took off.

“Okay Dickie, let's get you inside.” Jason hiked his arm up a bit to keep Dick upright as they entered the manor. Damian was there in the foyer.

“Dami!” Dick exclaimed with a smile.

Damian gazed at Dick wearily. “So, what was the trouble he got in?”

Adjusting his hold on Dick, Jason sighed tiredly. “It was a party.”

“Sar san? So'i nevo?” Dick asked Damian happily, receiving a raised judgemental eyebrow in return.

“Romanes?”

Jason’s eye widened in surprise. “Yeah, what is that? How did you know?”

“Mother told me about the… Romani people and their language. I don't know the language however, as she considered it below us, saying that it was for thieves and the uneducated,” Damian explained, Dick's expression falling. Jason glared at his brother.

“That was uncalled for and you know it.” Dick pulled away from Jason, who kept a careful eye on his movements, to make sure that he didn't fall over or hurt himself.

Damian looked taken aback as he tried to defend himself. “I am merely saying what Mother told me.”

“That doesn't mean you repeat it!” Jason glowered, focusing back on his younger brother, who rolled his eyes.

“Grayson has a tough skin. Besides, I highly doubt he will remember what I said, not in the state he is in currently.” There was clear distaste in his voice.

“It wasn't his fault!” Jason rubbed at the bridge of his nose and sighed. “I’m too tired for this. Where’s Tim? Bruce?”

Damian flicked his eyes over to Dick to see him giggling and playing with Alfred the cat on the floor. Seems the cat finally liked someone besides Damian. Looking back at his older brother, he shrugged. “After this afternoon’s fiasco, Kent insisted on keeping Drake in his sights. He’s spending the night with them. Much like Father insists I stay home for a while. He was in the study, last I knew. He’s very displeased with you.”

Jason needed to avoid the study then. That was good to know. “Okay, well- wait, where did Dick go?” The brothers looked around and Dick was indeed gone. It would be impressive, if Jason’s anxiety hadn’t spiked up.

“Good job, Todd. You lost him.”

“This isn't my fault, Demon Spawn! Just help me find him.” The two split up to explore the huge manor, and all Jason could do was pray that the idiot didn't get himself hurt.

Jason found him in front of Bruce's family pictures. Dick was staring at the one in the center, the one of Bruce and his parents.

“Dick!” Jason felt relief surge through him. His boyfriend jumped and whirled around, then tripped over his own feet. Instead of falling like a normal person, he fell into the splits, before pulling himself into a handstand.

“Jay!” Dick greeted, surprised yet happy.

“You can't even fall like a normal person, can you?” Jason crossed his arms, an exasperated smile on his face. Dick walked over on his hands and laughed, then bent over to stand up properly. Pulling him over gently, Jason glanced up at the pictures. “What were you doing in here, anyway?”

“Who are they?” Dick pointed back at the picture he was looking at before.

“Oh you remembered English again, did you?” Jason teased with a slight smirk. “That's Bruce's parents. They were killed when he was young.”

“My parents were killed, too...” Dick trailed off, getting lost in thought. Smirk falling, Jason blinked at him, surprised. He had thought that they had died in an accident, that the trapeze rope had been too weak. “Do you have cereal?” Dick suddenly asked, turning to Jason with an excited expression. “I love cereal! It's my favorite! Especially with the little marshmallows!”

“Uh- yeah, we have cereal. I think Tim has some marshmallow cereal that we can have.” Jason was thrown off balance, still trying to register what Dick had said. His boyfriend beamed at him, as Jason led the way to the kitchen.

Once they got there, Dick gaped at the sight.

“It's huge! Bigger than I remember!” His voice was colored in disbelief as he gazed around, causing Jason to chuckle. Damian walked in at that moment with a scowl. Jason poured Dick a bowl of cereal, which the guy ate dry.

Glancing up from the cereal, Jason asked, “Where's Alfred?” He wanted to distract Damian before he could say more insulting things, as he usually did.

Damian looked at Dick eating his cereal with a displeased expression before focusing back on Jason. “I believe he is straightening up Father’s bedroom. I can fetch him.” He turned on his heel leaving the two in silence, Dick munching on his dry cereal.

It wasn't long before Alfred entered the kitchen, giving Dick an appraising look.

Jason looked over at the butler once he saw him enter. “Al, can you make sure Dick's okay? He said he just had some water, but he’s been acting strange. I don't know what to do.” Jason knew Alfred would know what to do, he always did.

The butler began approaching the other boy carefully. “Master Dick, how are you feeling?” He kept his pace steady so as not to startle him.

“Feel fine! Just all floaty and stuff.” Dick smiled as he took another bite of cereal.

“Would you mind if I gave you a quick examination?” Alfred asked politely, although it was very clear that he was more telling than asking.

Shrugging, Dick nodded, amiable enough. “Okay!” He hopped on to the table and laid down. “Like this?”

“Perfect, Master Dick.” He started to examine the young man, first checking his forehead and cheeks and finding them both red and very warm. Next, he decided to check his reflexes, and got a wooden spoon out of a drawer.

“Sit up, please,” Alfred instructed, and Dick did so, his legs dangling over the sides. Alfred gently tapped Dick's knees with the spoons and they barely responded at all.

Frowning ever so slightly, he looked over his shoulder at Jason leaning against the wall. “Master Jason, would you mind fetching me a torch?” Immediately, Jason was off to grab a flashlight from the junk drawer in the large kitchen.

“Oh are you British?” Dick asked Alfred happily.

“Indeed I am, Master Dick. Now, I am going to shine the light in your eyes, and I want you to track the movements I make with the light. Understand?” Dick nodded as Jason returned and handed Alfred the flashlight.

Shining the light in Dick's eyes, Alfred took note of how they were barely able to follow the light. His pupils were blown wide, and there was only a sliver of blue iris around them. Alfred clicked the light off. “I believe he is under a drug made from the same basis of cocaine, but it lasts longer. Someone must have slipped it into his drink. The drug will wear off within the hour, however, and I suggest that you put him to bed then. He will need water, of course, to stay hydrated.” Jason nodded as he listened to the instructions. Dick was laying on the table again, staring up at the vast ceiling. “Do you require any further assistance?” Alfred asked, looking between the two boys.

“No, thanks Alf. I'll keep an eye on him. Thank you for everything.” Jason conveyed as much gratitude as he could. He honestly didn’t know what he would do without the old butler. Alfred nodded and left the room quietly, just as he always did.

“Jason, Jay, did you know he is British?” Dick asked in a conspiratorial whisper that wasn't really a whisper.

Lips twitching as he fought back a grin, Jason’s eyebrows raised in amusement.“Oh?”

“I went to England once with the circus! It was raining almost the whole time! Poor Zitka hated it. But then some people found out about us being Romani and they started yelling at us to leave. We only got to perform a few times because people would start yelling at us.” Dick heaved a heavy sigh, causing Jason to feel bad for the guy. He had witnessed attacks motivated by racism, on the streets especially, but he'd never really had to worry about that.

“Well those guys were assholes.” Jason said firmly and Dick gave him a big dopey grin.

“Aww, are you gonna be my knight?” Dick teased, and he gave Jason a sloppy kiss on the cheek. Oh, how Jason wished the other teen was actually sober. “Hey, Jay? Jason? Can I tell you a secret?”

“Of course you can, Dickie.” Jason replied automatically, cheek still warm from the kiss, even if it was sloppy and messy.

“I'm really tired,” Dick whispered in his ear before bursting into giggles. Jason rolled his eyes but smiled.

Once he helped Dick off the table, he looped an arm around his waist. “Well, come on, I'll help you get to bed.”

“What's going on?” Bruce's deep voice asked from the top of the stairs as they rounded the corner, leaving the kitchen. Jason mentally cursed, he hadn't wanted to deal with Bruce tonight. “Ah, Jason. You have a lot to explain.”

Dick gasped and waved enthusiastically. “Hi Bruce! Look Jay, it’s Bruce!” He tugged on Jason’s shirt insistently with one hand, and pointed at Bruce with the other as if Jason didn’t see him.

Arching an eyebrow, Bruce folded his arms and gazed at his oldest son. “What happened?”

Gently stilling Dick’s tugging, Jason grit his teeth as he avoided Bruce’s sharp gaze. “The Jokers happened.”

“And now I can fly again!” Dick said dreamily. Bruce’s expression darkened.

“Yes I got that. How could you get involved with them again-”

Jason cut that lecture off immediately. “Save it, Bruce! I already know what I did wrong! Now let me get this idiot to bed. You can yell at me all you want tomorrow, okay?!” He was tired and worried and annoyed, he really didn't want to have to deal with this. Bruce nodded curtly.

“Make sure he drinks water. And keep an eye on him. We will be talking about your behavior later.” Bruce eyed Dick once more, and then he was gone just as suddenly as he had appeared. Jason mumbled something rude about his adoptive father as he and Dick made their way to his room. As soon as the door opened, Dick ran and jumped straight onto the bed.

“This is the biggest bed ever! Look at this thing! It’s huge!” Jason snorted as he watched Dick stretch himself across the bed. He hated being reminded of the wealth of the manor, it always made him uncomfortable.

Jason began backing up towards the door, intent on trying to get at least some sleep tonight. “Okay, Dickie. I'm gonna go now, okay?” Dick sat up straight from where he'd been curling under the blanket.

“What? No! Don't go! Don't leave me alone!” Dick whined at him, reaching out his hands.

“Dick, I need some sleep too, you know.”

“Then sleep here! The bed is big enough!” Jason hesitated, not sure if that was a good idea. “Please, Jay?” Dick pleaded with a pout, and Jason caved immediately.

Shoulders slumping, Jason nodded as he climbed into the large bed next to Dick who promptly wrapped himself around him like an octopus. Jason thought over the night, and he remembered something that Dick had said. He figured now would be his best chance to ask and get an answer.

“Hey, Dick? What did you mean when you said your parents were killed? I thought it was just an accident that killed them.”

Letting out a yawn, Dick played with the edge of Jason’s shirt. “No, it was this mob guy, Tony Zucco. He was mad at Haly for not doing something, so he cut the ropes so they couldn't hold their weight. He knew they always flew without a net, so they'd go splat. I watched him leave the area and didn't say a thing,” Dick mumbled the last part into Jason's chest, and Jason felt a horrible sadness wash over him.

Dick had never given Jason the specifics of his parents’ death before, and part of him felt bad for taking advantage of the other teen’s situation. Wrapping his arms around Dick, he squeezed tightly, hoping to offer some comfort. No one was going to hurt Dick again, not if he could help it.

“This is how you’re supposed to feel,” Dick murmured as he drifted off to sleep. Jason was a bit confused on what that meant, but Dick was safe, in his arms, his brothers were safe, and Joker was in jail. After everything that happened that day, it wasn’t long before hr had fallen asleep, clinging to his boyfriend.

A little while later, Alfred quietly entered the room to drop off a bottle of water and a bottle of aspirin, Tylenol, and ibuprofen, just to be on the safe side. He smiled softly down at the two boys, and quietly left them to sleep.

Chapter Text

After Roy dropped off Jason and Dick, he decided it would be best to take Wally back to his house. If Rudy saw Roy, he would freak out, and with Wally in his current state, it didn't seem like the best idea. So, Roy’s house it was.

When they finally arrived at the Queen residence, Wally was close to passing out. Roy helped him out of the car, and stagger inside. He hoped not to run into Oliver, which of course meant they ran into him almost immediately.

“Roy, what’s going on?” Oliver asked, looking half asleep in pajamas and a glass of water in hand. It seemed he had just woken up.

“Oh, nothing much. Just regular Saturday night stuff.” He gave a one armed shrug, careful to not disturb Wally.

“Are you Oliver? Roy’s told me so much about you!” Wally excitedly exclaimed with a huge smile as he tried to pull away from Roy. “Let me go! I want to hug him!”

That just made Roy hold on tighter, trying to ignore Oliver’s amused look. Well, at least he wasn’t getting a lecture as Jason was sure to get. “He just had a little too much to drink, he needs to sleep it off.”

“I didn’t see anything.” Oliver tossed him a knowing look over the rim of his glass. “Make sure he drinks lots of fluids. Avoid a hangover,” he whispered before walking back off to his room.

It was times like these that Roy was grateful for Oliver. He didn’t ask too many questions, and he seemed fine with quite a bit. It was honestly relieving. Roy helped Wally stumble to the guest bedroom, the other teen mumbling incoherently as they finally entered.

Once Roy got him down on the bed, he turned to leave. Before he could, Wally grabbed onto his wrist and looked into his eyes, serious as he said, “Thanks, Roy. I love you.”

Roy’s mouth parted in shock, eyes widened as Wally kissed the back of his wrist, before letting go and flopping back on the bed. It wasn’t long before Wally was snoring softly, so Roy quietly took his leave. As soon as the door was shut behind him, Roy leaned against it, trying to control his racing heart. He needed to remind himself that Wally was drunk.  He didn't know what was happening, really. There is no way he would admit that to Roy if he was sober. They were broken up, Wally wanting nothing to do with him. He needed to remember that. With a heavy heart, he trudged off to bed.

The next morning, Wally awoke to the smell of pancakes and bacon cooking. He wondered if this was one of those rare days his dad was in a good mood, willing to make breakfast. When he opened his eyes though, he noticed he wasn’t in his room. Panic began setting in as he sat up, threw off the covers, and practically fled the room.

He didn’t recognize this house at all. He racked his brain, trying to remember what happened yesterday. All that was coming to mind was vague images of the party, talking to Dick, lots of drinking… and he may just be misremembering, but he could have sworn Roy had been there.

As he turned down at the end of the hall, and began walking downstairs, he heard voices coming from what he soon discovered was the kitchen. When he entered, he noticed Oliver by the stove flipping pancakes, and Roy sitting at the kitchen bar. He cringed as memories from last night hit him. Right, Roy brought him here.

“All I'm saying is, you could have invited him over before now. I would have loved to meet him,” Oliver said, adding yet another pancake to the huge stack by his side.

“And all I'm saying is, he wanted our relationship to be private. Sorry I was trying to protect that.” Roy rolled his eyes as he rested his cheek on his hand, other hand drumming his fingers against the kitchen bar.

Wally couldn’t help but stop and stare for a moment. The early morning light was filtering in, bathing Roy in bright sunshine, making his hair almost look like fire as the details of his face were in absolute clarity.

Feeling someone watching him, Roy turned slightly, fingers stilling as his eyes fell upon Wally. Oliver noticed this as well, turning and smiling brightly. “Hey, good morning! You sleep well?”

“Oh, uh. Yeah. Thanks.” Unsure of what else to do, Wally walked over and took a seat at the kitchen bar next to Roy. “I actually need to get home soon, my dad is probably worried.”

Roy doubted that. Rudy didn’t seem like the type to worry about Wally, but he stayed quiet as Oliver hummed. “Well, do you want to use our phone to call him? Let him know you’re okay, and you’ll be home after some breakfast?”

“Oh, yeah. That- that’s a good idea.” It really wasn’t, he was about 99% sure his dad was going to kill him. But hopefully, if he lets his dad know ahead of time, by the time he got home, he would be calmed down. It was wishful thinking, but Wally held onto it as he stood up, and walked off to the adjoining dining room to use the phone.

As it rang, he tried to run through what he was planning on saying. He held his breath, but let it out when the call went to voicemail. Either his dad was out, or he was passed out drunk. Wally could work with both of those. He hung up the phone, heading back to the kitchen just as Oliver was plating breakfast.

“Hey, what did your dad say?” Oliver asked, glancing up from setting out the syrup and butter.

“He didn’t answer. But I should probably get home soon.” Before he wakes up, or gets home from wherever he spent the night to find Wally gone. He did sneak out last night, his dad would be mad to find that out.

“Okay, well, eat up. Then, I'm sure Roy will be more than happy to take you home.” Oliver offered him a smile, urging him to grab whatever he wanted from the breakfast options laid out before him.

After a mostly quiet breakfast, filled with nonsensical small talk between Roy and Oliver, Wally was taken home. When they pulled up, a little ways down the street, they were both relieved to see Rudy’s car wasn’t in the driveway.

“Well, um. Thanks for the ride,” Wally awkwardly said before unbuckling his seatbelt.

“Why were you there?”

Wally slowly turned, hand still on the handle as he looked at Roy. “What? Where?”

Staring down at his lap, Roy sighed. “You know where. The Joker’s party.”

“Oh. That where.” Wally sat back in his seat, letting go of the handle. “Look, Roy, things have just been really difficult for me lately, and I got to talking to Catalina. I wasn’t planning on it! And I was just going to ignore her, but she was making so much sense and… I don't know.  I just… don’t know.”

Roy looked up and over to Wally, studying him closely. Slowly, almost hesitant, he said, “Wals, I started going down that same road. You can’t use that as a coping method.” He reached out a hand, grabbing onto one of Wally’s. “There was a time when you would tell me everything. I was that person you could lean on. Let me be that for you again. Please.”

The hand in his, the sincere look in Roy’s eyes, and the weight of everything he had been going through finally broke him down. He let out a hiccuping sob, leaning across to cry into Roy’s shoulder. “I'm sorry. I’m so sorry!”

Immediately, Roy moved to wrap Wally fully in his arms. “Hey, it’s okay! You don’t have anything to be sorry for.” Wally didn’t answer him, just continued to cry, so Roy took to carding his fingers through his hair. It was unclear just how long they sat like that, but eventually, Wally pulled back, wiping the tears from his face. Roy kept his arms around him though, keeping him from going far.

“Are you feeling any better?” Roy asked, rubbing Wally’s back while trying to catch his eye.

Wally shook his head as he quietly admitted, “I didn’t want to break up with you.” The silence from Roy prompted him to look up, coming face to face with slightly surprised green eyes. “My dad found out about our relationship. From Catalina. That’s part of why I was talking to her. I was confronting her about it, she said she was doing me a favor. That my dad had a right to know, and she didn’t know he would react badly to it. She tried to cheer me up, invited me to the party. But at first I refused. Instead, I went home. Told my dad I still lo- liked you.”

At the time, Wally knew it was a stupid idea. Knew that it would jeopardize Barbara getting evidence, the case building. But he didn’t care anymore. Finding out that his dad found out from Catalina of all people, that he then turned around and forced Wally to break up with the person he loved, well. He couldn’t take it anymore.

“Do you know how much it hurts to have your own dad call you a faggot?” Roy looked absolutely murderous at that but Wally didn’t see it through the tears in his eyes. Instead, he let out a bitter laugh, coupled with a wry shake of the head. “His exact words were, ‘no son of mine is a fag!’ I asked if that meant I wasn’t his son. He told me apparently I was stupid too, if I couldn’t figure it out.” Then, he had gotten drunk and decided to take out his anger with a belt. Once the blood had dried, Wally had changed his shirt, and took Catalina up on her offer to join their party, drowning himself in cheap beer. All of that remained unsaid, tears finally spilling over and running down his face.

Roy was at a loss on what to do. He felt helpless, angry, sad. At the top of the list was murdering Rudy. “And you’re going back to him?”

Wally gave a hopeless shrug. “He’s my dad. I have to stay with him, I'm not an adult yet. I can’t just leave.” Not until Barbara was done, which she assured him was moving forward. With Bruce helping, things were moving along quickly, too.

“Fuck that! That man is not your dad. Who the fuck says that to their son?” Wally shrugged again, staring straight ahead. “You can stay with me and Oliver. And maybe we can try to sort out Barry taking you in or something. Ollie knows people, I'm sure he can-”

Turning his head, Wally looked over at Roy, the look in his eyes silencing him. “I can’t. Not yet.”

“At least tell me why.” Wally remained quiet, turning his head away. Cupping his face, Roy gently pulled so they were eye to eye again. “Wally. Tell me.”

Wally knew that logically, Roy would find out eventually. He would have to, no way was the court case staying private. A top member of the community accused of child abuse? That would definitely make headlines. But actually being forced with telling him, it made Wally a bit sick to his stomach.

So, he decided not to tell him. But to show him. He took Roy’s hands off of his face, turned in his seat, and lifted up his shirt. He knew from Roy’s sharp intake of breath that he took note of the scars, the bruises. The scabbing over welts, and dried blood that Wally tried his hardest to clean up. He was sure he missed some though, the angle in the mirror had been awkward.

Roy’s eyes scanned over the expanse of skin, pieces clicking together in his head. All the long sleeve shirts, even in summer. How Wally refused to let Roy run his hands under his shirt, or be seen shirtless at all. Roy just figured he wanted to go slow, and respected that, but now. Now.

With surprisingly gentle, careful hands- given his current tumultuous feelings- he pulled Wally’s shirt down. After it was settled again, he turned Wally around and pulled him into a hug. He held him tight, smiling a bit when he felt Wally’s arms wrap around him in return. After a few moments, Roy let him go, turned, and got out of the car. Wally was so surprised by that, it took him a bit to realize Roy was walking towards his house.

Quickly, Wally got out of the car and grabbed onto Roy’s wrist, stopping him. “What are you doing?”

“You can’t stay with him, Wally. You’re staying with me, and your dad is going to jail.” Roy pulled his wrist away and began walking towards the house again.

“Babs is working on a case and-”

“Barbara knew!? And she didn’t tell anyone!? Her father is the police commissioner!” Roy looked livid, seething with anger at Barbara, Rudy, everyone who knew and did nothing.

“They’re building a case against him. They can’t just go after him, he’s too well-respected in the community. You know how the police, and court system is around here. It needs to be airtight.” Wally rested a hand on Roy’s cheek, sorrowful smile playing on his lips. “I appreciate the anger. I appreciate that you care so much. But this has to be handled the right way, or it won’t matter.”

Roy briefly closed his eyes, before opening them again, eyes still ablaze with anger. “Yeah, no. Fuck the court case, fuck Barbara, fuck your dad. We’re getting you out of here.” He pulled out his phone to call Barbara before resuming his march to the house.

Left with really no other choice, Wally followed after Roy. As they entered the house, he heard Roy talking to Barbara over the phone, but he wasn’t really paying attention to the words. Not over the blood rushing in his ears. He needed to get Roy out, before his dad got home. He was scared of what was sure to happen if Rudy caught them.

“I don’t care, Babs! Do you know the shit he’s been going through!?” Roy practically shouted over the phone, causing Wally to flinch. He gave him an apologetic look before entering Wally’s bedroom and grabbing a bag. He passed it to Wally, and gestured for him to start packing.

“Roy.” Wally was ignored as Roy continued yelling at Barbara. Sighing, he grabbed the phone from Roy’s hand. “Hey, Babs.”

“Wally! What the hell is going on? Roy called me, and just started yelling at me!” Barbara didn’t sound as mad as Roy, which was relieving on Wally’s part. She just sounded really confused.

“He wants me to leave. I'm talking him out of it. I'll call you back soon.” He heard her protesting, but he still hung up, trying to focus on one thing at a time. This was all way more than he thought he would have to deal with today.

Meanwhile, Roy had been like a hurricane throughout the room, throwing various objects into Wally’s backpack. Shirts, jeans, boxers and pajamas. He didn’t even care what he was throwing in, trying to hurry. He was stopped by Wally, grabbing his arm and stilling it.

Moving closer with a small, rueful smile, Wally cupped Roy’s face once he turned him. “Roy, this is exactly why I didn't want to tell you. I don't want you getting hurt, and through the legal system, he’ll be out of my life. Permanently. We just have to give it time.”

“Murder would accomplish that just as well. And be faster, too.” Roy had a small grin of his own when Wally huffed out a laugh and gave him a fond, exasperated look.

“But then you would be in jail, and I definitely don't want that.” He ran his thumb under Roy’s eye, smiling softly. “I’ve missed you, so much,” he quietly admitted. “Please, just trust me with this.”

The pleading, and gentle touches got Roy to reluctantly nod as he moved his hands down to grip Wally’s waist. “I’ve missed you too.” His thumb skimmed Wally’s hip as he considered his next words. “So, when you showed up to school with that broken arm last Spring. I'm guessing that wasn’t from you falling out of your treehouse?” At Wally’s confirmation, Roy sighed, trying to keep his touches gentle and light, but his shoulders still tensed with fury. “I know you want me to wait, but you need to get out of here, Wally. Away from him.” A thought occurred to him, making him even more irate. “Did your mom know?”

Wally shook his head, not really able to talk about it. “He wasn’t like this when she was alive. It’s just afterwards. When his drinking increased. I thought he would change, go back to normal, but obviously that isn’t the case. After the court case, I'm going to try to live with Uncle Barry.” He pressed imperceptibly closer as he gave Roy a light, reassuring kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be fine. I've handled him this long, haven't I?”

Roy could tell Wally was going to be stubborn about this, so he would just have to plan the murder behind his back. “Fine. But keep me in the loop this time. Please.  I can’t handle not knowing what’s going on with you.” He leaned in, brushing their lips together. “I love you, Wallace West.”

Breath hitching, Wally’s eyes went wide. Sure, he had almost admitted the same thing earlier, but to hear the words from Roy, that was something else. “I… what?”

Chuckling, Roy shook his head as he gave him a firmer kiss, licking at his bottom lip. As soon as Wally’s lips parted, still slightly in shock, Roy took the invitation, deepening the kiss. Once Wally got over the shock, he let his eyes slipped close, and moaned into the kiss everytime Roy’s tongue brushed his, forgetting to be at least semi quiet. Both of their lips were slightly chapped, and Wally could taste the banana pancakes they had both had earlier, but it was still perfect. They both soaked up the contact after so long apart.

Wally’s hands slipped from Roy’s face to run down his chest, under his jacket. Following his lead, Roy ran his hands up under Wally’s shirt, holding in his anger at feeling the scars and bumps under his fingertips. He intended on showing Wally that he still accepted him, still thought he was beautiful despite the scars, but they were interrupted by the door swinging open. They broke the kiss, but didn’t move away from each other as they stared, wide eyed at the door. At Rudy looking furious, beer bottle hanging from his hand.

“What the fuck is going on here!?” He scowled, eyes darting between the two boys who were still holding onto each other.

“Dad, I can explain-” He tried to pull back from Roy, but if anything Roy tightened his grip as he glared at Rudy.

“He doesn’t have to explain himself to you,” Roy growled, moving to stand between the two.

Rudy decided to settle his gaze on his son, scowl deepening. “I thought I told you to stay the fuck away from this boy, Wally. You were supposed to be past this with that Gordon girl.”

Once again, Roy was the one to speak. “You can’t just control his life! He can do what he wants-"

“Not while he lives under my roof! Not while he’s  my  son! You stay the fuck out of this!”

“I'm not scared of you,” Roy grit out as his hands clenched into fists.

Rudy stepped closer until they were practically chest to chest. “You should be.”

Wally could tell Roy was gearing up to hit his dad, so he quickly pushed his way between the two. Once he made sure his dad was backing away, Wally glanced over his shoulder. “Go home, Roy.”

“Fuck no! I'm not-"

"Go home," Wally said, voice firm. Roy couldn’t just leave him though. He knew he said he would agree, let Wally handle this, but in the face of Rudy- actually seeing his anger firsthand directed at Wally- yeah. He wasn’t leaving without his boyfriend. Instead of actually listening to Wally, he grabbed his half packed backpack and shoved it at him.

“Finish packing. You’re coming with me. You’re leaving this hellhole today.” He went back to watching Rudy carefully, not honestly believing he would let them waltz out of here without a fight.

Roy was right as Rudy snarled. “Like hell he is!” He shouted, pulling his fist back to punch at him. The alcohol though made his movement sluggish, so Roy was able to easily dodge it and strike back with a hit of his own.

Wally watched the scene with round, scared eyes as his father stumbled back. Glancing over at him, Roy motioned at him to start packing. “Come on, I don’t want to do this all day!” He yelled, turning back just in time to see Rudy rushing to tackle him to the ground.

After that, Wally started packing, hating it, but knowing he would have to leave today. If he stayed, after this, his dad would probably come close to putting him in the hospital. Or worse. As he stuffed more clothes into his bag, he chanced a glance at the tussle behind him, anger and fear growing as his dad managed to get a hit in on Roy’s face, splitting his lip.

That was too far.

Wally could handle his dad going after him, but hurting his friends?  The boy he loved? That was too much. Wally zipped up his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and rushed over to drag his dad off of Roy. Narrowing his eyes, Wally was able to turn him around, and hit Rudy square in the nose, satisfying crunch under his fist.

Rudy stumbled back, clutching at his nose, murder flashing in his eyes. “You ungrateful little-" He advanced towards Wally but was thrown back against the wall by Roy, head banging hard against it.

Moving over towards Wally, Roy grabbed his hand and tugged him out the door. They ran through the house, Rudy’s lumbering steps behind them. As they ran out the front door, and down the street to Roy’s car, they heard Rudy yelling after them.

“You pray to God I never see either of you ever again! I will kill both of you! You hear me!? You’ll be dead!” He stood in the doorway, glaring at them as they got in the car, and Roy sped off.

Not without flipping him off first though, and yelling, “The sentiment is returned, pal!”

They drove in silence for a while, Roy glad the car was fixed up so they could actually speed away. He would have to thank Jason again once he saw him. At some point, Wally’s shoulders started shaking, which scared Roy thinking he was crying. But then, Wally leaned his head back, laughter loud in the bright sunlight of the early afternoon.

“Holy… Did that really just happen?” He was in disbelief over how his night/day had turned out. Going from drunk and miserable, to waking up confused at Roy’s house, to making up/out with Roy, to finally leaving his dad. It was so surreal.

Removing one of his hands from the steering wheel, Roy grabbed Wally’s and squeezed. “It did. You’re out of there. You’re safe. You can stay with me until things with your uncle are finalized.”

Wally looked unsure, but didn’t remove his hand. “Are you sure that’s okay? I don’t want to be a burden or anything.”

“Of course.” It had to be.

When they finally got back to Roy’s house, Wally stopped Roy before he could leave the car. Wally grinned as he leaned in to give him a quick kiss. “Thank you. For everything. And since I didn't get the chance earlier to say it, I love you too.”

Smiling, Roy pulled Wally back in for a longer kiss, but they were quickly interrupted as the front door opened.

“Roy! Is that you?”

Rolling his eyes, Roy pulled away and gave a little wave to Oliver as he stepped out of the car. “Hey, Ollie! You’re still here!” He put on a bright smile as he walked up to his adoptive father, turning back to motion at Wally to follow.

As he got closer to the door, Oliver looked surprised as he took in Roy’s beat up features. “What the hell happened to you?”

“You know, abusive fathers. The usual.” He shrugged but Oliver just looked unimpressed.

Deciding to ignore that for now, Oliver turned his gaze on Wally. He softened a bit when he noticed how scared he looked. It didn’t take much for him to figure out Wally’s dad was who Roy was referring to. “You doing okay, Wally?”

Wally glanced between Roy and Oliver, before settling on the older man. “Uh, yeah. As good as I can, anyway.”

“That’s good. Come on, I was thinking of taking a day off anyway.” He gave him a soft smile, moving aside to let both boys in, and shutting the door after them. “I'm thinking we have some tacos for lunch. What do you think about that?”

“Sounds great.” Wally offered a shaky smile back as he clutched the strap to his backpack tighter. He may have spent this morning with Oliver, but after everything that happened, he was more than a bit on edge.

Noticing his discomfort, Roy placed a hand on the small of his back, rubbing slightly. Oliver noticed but chose not to comment as he chuckled. “I’ll go get it started then. Why don’t you show him to his room, Roy?” If Wally was dealing with an abusive father, Oliver figured he'd be staying with them for a while.

“Will do,” Roy agreed before gently pushing on Wally’s back to get him moving. “We’ll explain everything, once he’s settled.”

Oliver nodded, letting them walk off to the guest room. For the first time in what felt like ages, Wally was not only able to breathe easy, but he also felt safe.

He genuinely believed things would finally start to look up. Except for one thing. “Babs is going to be so mad.”

Roy laughed, nodding as he led the way to the guest room. “Yes she is.”

Chapter Text

When Dick awoke, he knew something was off immediately. He didn’t hear any bustling of life outside his trailer, the muffled noises of Zitka, or the arguing of the lion tamer and sword swallower. Those two rarely ever got along, and their fighting was like his personal alarm clock. It was then that he also realized his head wasn’t on a pillow, but a chest, and his arm was thrown over a warm body.

He was starting to get worried, until he cracked open an eye and looked up. He relaxed as he noticed Jason was the one he was sleeping on. A smile formed at the peaceful look on his face, lips parted and small snores escaping. Dick figured he could stay like this forever, and was contemplating falling back asleep, until a headache decided to make itself known.

Rubbing at his head, he looked around, only to spot aspirin, and a bottle of water on the nightstand. As quietly as he could, he slipped out of the bed. Right as he took the aspirin, and a drink of the water, Jason woke up.

Truth was, Jason was awake when Dick pulled away from him and got out of bed. He just didn't want to face the reality of the morning yet. Unfortunately, it was unavoidable since Dick was up, and would most likely have questions. Taking a deep breath, Jason opened his eyes and slowly brought them over to Dick, who was staring at him as he drank from the water bottle.

Slowly, Jason sat up. He leaned against the headboard and cleared his throat, worried about what happened to Dick. He knew he stopped Miriam from something terrible, but did Catalina try something too? Or was Miriam lying to get the heat off herself? Deciding not to lead with those questions, Jason instead asked, “How… How are you feeling?”

Dick pulled the bottle away from his lips and shrugged. “Fine, I guess. Head hurts a bit, but I'll live.”

“Good. I'm- I'm glad.” Jason tried to smile when Dick grinned at him, but he knew it was a shit excuse for one.

After setting the water back down, Dick crawled back into bed, settling himself back in Jason’s arms. He pressed a kiss to his chest before looking up, only to frown at the way the other teen was avoiding his gaze. “What’s wrong?” he asked, reaching up to cup Jason’s cheek.

“Nothing.” When Dick continued to look at him, obviously not believing the lie, Jason let out a heavy sigh. “Don’t you have questions about last night?”

The reminder of last night had Dick gasping, pushing up to fully look at Jason. “Wally! He’s okay, right? He’s safe?”

Dick looked about ready to hop out of bed and head straight to Wally’s house, so Jason hugged him closer. “He’s with Roy, he’s fine. Right now, I'm more worried about you.”

“Me? Why?” Besides his slight headache, he felt fine, and even that was fading with the water and aspirin.

Jason looked pained as he quietly asked, “How much do you remember about last night?”

To be honest, Dick didn’t even care about what happened, how he got here. Wally was safe, Jason was safe- and calm, meaning he got to his brothers in time- and he was cuddled up with Jason. That’s all that mattered. Still, Jason looked so worried, and everything about him read strained. The concerned crease on his forehead, his eyes that looked overwhelmed with sadness. If Dick could ease that a bit, than he would try to answer his questions.

“Uh, I don’t remember a lot. Bits and pieces of the party, being here. There was a guy that tried to start a fight with me when he saw I was wearing your jacket. Luckily, Miriam and Catalina-” He stopped mid-sentence, eyes widening as memories hit him.

Catalina rocking in his lap, smirking at the way his body responded against his will. Miriam trying to do the same, except also tricking him into thinking Jason was there. It was all too much, it made Dick want to throw up.

“Dickie?”

The soft call made Dick come back to himself, shaking his head to get rid of the thoughts. “Sorry, I just-” He caught himself. He couldn’t tell Jason about this. He wouldn’t burden him in that way. He knew his boyfriend, he would take on way more guilt than he needed to. Dick could handle this on his own. Not only that, but Jason might look at him differently. With pity. Possibly disgust for sleeping with another person. Dick couldn’t handle that.

When he felt a gentle hand shake his shoulder, Dick hated that he flinched away. He felt even worse when he noticed that he had scooted away from Jason at some point, and had put that hurt in his eyes. “I'm sorry. My head just hurts with trying to remember.” Moving back in, he kissed Jason’s cheek before nuzzling into his neck, soaking up the familiar comfort, warmth, and scent that was all Jason’s.

“But that’s it? That’s all you remember?” The disbelief was clear in Jason’s voice, but Dick heard the fear, and a bit of relief as well.

Shrugging, Dick held him tighter, throwing his leg around his boyfriend. “That’s it. Is there something else I need to know?” He tried to put a teasing tone into his voice, hoping to lessen the tension in the room, but it didn’t really work.

There was a long pause, long enough for Dick to look up into Jason’s face. It was obvious he was trying to piece together what to say, prompting Dick to softly ask, “What are you thinking about?”

Jason looked startled for a moment, almost as if he forgot Dick was there. Pain once again filled his gaze as he pressed a soft kiss to Dick’s lips. It was slow, sweet, and filled with much needed comfort. For who was unclear. When they slowly parted, Jason held Dick close, trying to steel himself for what he would tell Dick next.

“Miriam, she… she tried to rape you. And Catalina… do you remember anything with her? Because Miriam implied that she had done something…” He trailed off, allowing Dick time to process what he had said.

“Oh.”

The word hung between them for a bit before Jason asked, “Oh?”

“Yeah. Oh.” Dick was unsure how to respond. Part of him did want to confide in Jason. Tell him he remembered everything, and get some comfort from Jason. But that was what was holding him back. What if he didn’t get comfort? What if Jason’s perception of him changed? That he realized the reason any of this happened was his own fault. So he lied. “I don’t remember anything with Catalina. The most I remember about Miriam is what I told you.”

Jason nodded, waiting for Dick to finish. “Okay, well. I think you were drugged. I don’t know by who, but you were really out of it. Really loopy. So, I took you back here to sleep it off. I didn’t do anything, I swear. You know I wouldn’t take advantage of you like that.”

“I know.” Dick gave him a soft, warm smile. He knew Jason would never hurt him. There were few people he felt safer with. After giving him another kiss, he repeated, “I know. I trust you. Why take me back here at all, though? Why not back home?”

“We were with Roy and Wally, and I didn’t know if you had told them, yet. I didn’t want to give your secret up like that.” Reaching up a hand, he smoothed Dick’s bangs back from his forehead before cupping his cheek. “I also didn’t want you out of my sight. And you weren’t exactly keen on leaving my side, either.”

“I never am,” Dick agreed, leaning into the touch. He turned his head to press a kiss to Jason’s palm, nuzzling it lightly. “Thank you. For everything.”

“There’s no need to thank me. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop the whole thing from happening in the first place.” Jason began moving his thumb to rub light circles under Dick’s eye. “What do you want to do about Miriam?”

Dick bit his lip. If he went to the police, if they even believed him, Miriam might bring up Catalina. If she did, Dick would have to explain that. Explain himself. Not to mention, all the media attention, and attention at school. He didn’t want to deal with that. He didn’t know if he even could deal with that.

“I can't go to the police,” Dick finally settled on saying. He expected to see some kind of protest on Jason’s face, but he just saw understanding.

“You don’t have to decide right now. Why don’t you try to get some more sleep? We can talk more when you wake up.” Jason smiled before coaxing Dick to lay back down on his chest. “I'll be here when you wake up. I'll support you in whatever you decide. Just get some rest.”

Dick nodded, letting his eyes slipped closed. “Thanks again, Jason. I-” Love you . He debated saying the words out loud, but ultimately decided now wasn’t the time or place. He sure as hell felt it though. Cuddling in closer, he pressed a kiss to Jason’s chest, right above his heart. “Just thank you.”

Jason seemed to hear the words anyway, returning the sentiment with a kiss to Dick’s head. “Anytime, Dickiebird.”

Chapter Text

The month leading up to the fair was an interesting one. Two weeks into the month, Wally ended up having his court hearing. It was originally going to be at the end of the month, but Bruce was able to get the date moved up. With the evidence and case built against Rudy-  thanks to Barbara and her dad- they won, though it wasn’t easy. Thanks to Bruce, Oliver, and other members of the community testifying, the case was eventually won.

When they won, his father had yelled slurs and insults at him. Wally retaliated by kissing Roy right in front of him. The yelling continued as Roy kissed back, flipping Rudy off behind his boyfriend’s back. When they finally separated, Wally grabbed his hand, and happily walked out of the courthouse with Barry and Iris at his side. He didn’t look back.

When he got in Barry’s car beside Roy, his boyfriend grabbed his hand and squeezed. “You did well today,” he quietly said as Barry pulled away from the courthouse.

Wally still didn't trust his voice, so he nodded before letting go of Roy’s hand to curl into his side. Resting his head on his shoulder, Wally leaned up and lightly kissed his cheek, as a small thank you. As he settled back down, Roy’s arm wrapped around his waist, and Wally drifted off to sleep. The day was draining, so much was happening, and things were finally getting better. Right before sleep took him, a warm, happy feeling overtook him as Roy kissed his head, and Barry and Iris smiled at him from the front seat.

Meanwhile, Jason wanted to say his relationship with Dick was going that well, but it really wasn’t. They didn’t talk about the party much after the initial talk. Jason didn’t want to push Dick to talk, or risk pushing him away. They were getting along fine, but Jason could tell Dick was hiding something. His laughs were just a little less full, his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. It made Jason suspicious as to why. Like maybe he remembered more than he was letting on.

Standing off to the side in the family room they were currently all gathered in, Jason watched as Dick was animatedly telling a story to Tim and Bruce. And there it was again; Dick smiled but his eyes still maintained that dull look to them.

“I don't understand you, Todd.” Jason would have jumped at Damian’s sudden appearance, but it was just sort of what he did. Everyone in the Wayne household seemed to have that ability. “If you like Grayson so much, why not just talk to him?”

Leaning against the door frame, Jason crossed his arms. “It’s not that simple. I can’t lose him. I can’t risk losing him. He’ll come to me when he’s ready.” He smiled when he briefly caught Dick’s eye. Jason thought he saw a spark of joy light up in his eyes, but it quickly vanished as he went back to his story.

“What if he doesn’t?” Damian arched an eyebrow as he glanced over at Dick. “A little push is probably what you both need. It’s obvious you both have… intense feelings. It’s sickening.”

Jason was shocked that Damian couldn’t see the obvious discomfort in Dick. Though, he supposed, Dick was a performer. He could act with the best of them. It just took someone who knew him well to see past it. “Why do you even care so much?”

“I don’t.” Damian hunched in on himself, averting his gaze. “But you being… upset affects Father, Drake, and Pennyworth, which casts the Manor in a somber light. It… reminds me too much of Mother and Grandfather.”

Looking down at Damian, Jason knew this was his way of saying he cared. He also knew it was hard for the little demon to admit, but it was nice to know. At the end of the day, they were still brothers. He threw his arms over Damian’s shoulders and drew him into his side. “Thanks, Demon Spawn! I care about you, too.”

Damian scowled and tried to pull away, though it was obvious he wasn't trying very hard. “That's not what I said, Todd!”

Jason laughed and ruffled Damian’s hair. He supposed the brat had a point though, he should talk to Dick. It was obvious something was bothering him, and maybe, if they talked about it, they could finally move forward.

That turned out to be a terrible idea.

He had tried to broach the subject when he dropped Dick off, turning off the car. “Look, I know something’s been bothering you and-"

“Nothing’s bothering me, Jay. I'm fine, really.” He grabbed Jason’s hand and squeezed, giving him one of those fake, happy smiles.

Jason pulled his hand away as he looked skeptically at Dick. “See, that right there is fake. You’re lying to me, Dickie.”

Smile faltering, Dick dropped his gaze to his lap, fingers fidgeting. He hated that Jason could see straight through him. Everyone else didn't even notice. “Jason, I'm-"

“If you say you’re fine one more time…” he trailed off and shut his eyes, trying to regain his composure. Getting mad at Dick would get him nowhere. Letting out a frustrated breath, he opened his eyes, looking at Dick with an imploring expression. “Please, just tell me what's going on. Is is about that night? Did you remember more than you let on?”

“I told you, I'm fine.” Dick glared at him before getting out of the car and slamming it behind him. “You don’t have to know everything about me, Jason. I definitely don't have to tell you everything. So leave me alone! If I need help, I'll tell you.” With that, he stomped off, leaving Jason sitting in the car, stunned.

Now he knew something was definitely up, but he wasn’t sure if he should push it. He could just end up pushing Dick away, and that was the last thing Jason wanted. He couldn’t fuck this up again. Even though it made him feel terribly guilty, Jason started back up the car and drove off.

That night, Dick paced around his trailer, pulling at his hair in frustration. This had been happening for weeks. Dick unable to sleep, and him pacing around trying to calm his thoughts. Between that and the nightmares, he was barely getting any sleep. He luckily had makeup to cover up the bags under his eyes, and he thought he was hiding it well. That was obviously wrong.

Groaning, he hit his head against the side of his trailer a few times. He knew something had to change, but he wasn’t sure what to do. Every time he closed his eyes, the night just played over and over. His time with Catalina and Miriam just played over and over. He was going mad with guilt, regret, and depression. He felt used, violated, and vulnerable when all he wanted was to forget.

Turning around, Dick leaned against the wall, catching sight of himself in the mirror. He didn’t even realize he had been crying, but his eyes were puffy and red, and there were tear tracks down his cheeks. In that moment, he saw himself as a little boy, crying over the loss of his parents. He was supposed to be older, and stronger now. Past all of this.

Dick pushed off from the wall, resolve hardening. There was more to him than a crying, sniveling child. He wasn’t going to be scared, or unsure anymore. He was going to push past this, push past everything that was holding him back. Taking a deep breath, he resolved to start over, by embracing who he was and how he felt.

Maybe in the process, he could also forget that night ever happened in the first place.

Chapter Text

The day of the fair finally arrived. Jason looked over himself in the mirror before sighing. In place of his usual leather jacket, he wore a sweater with Gotham High’s colors and dark wash jeans. He felt fucking ridiculous, and unlike himself in every way, but he reminded himself why he was doing this. Dick was still acting strange, and despite the reassurances he gave Jason about trusting he changed, and left the gang lifestyle, maybe he still needed more proof.

As Jason continued staring at himself, he reached up and ruffled his hair. He hoped Dick appreciated this. They were going to go to the fair together, but Dick called that morning to tell him they would instead just meet there. Jason wanted to protest, but lately, that was not a good strategy, so he agreed.

Jason turned as his door opened, ripped from his thoughts when Damian popped his head in. “Pennyworth asked me to fetch you. Harper is downstairs.” He walked more fully in as he took note of Jason’s outfit. “What is that ridiculous sweater?”

“My school’s colors. I'm showing off my school pride!” His eye twitched slightly as he smiled, giving off an unhinged look.

Damian stared at him warily. “Yes… well, come get your friend before he breaks something.” Casting him one last concerned look, Damian left his room.

Sighing, Jason debated grabbing his jacket. He couldn’t totally leave it. It meant too much to him, it was almost a part of him. So he grabbed it and headed downstairs.

“Why do you still try to touch everything!?” Jason heard Damian shout as he walked into the foyer.

“Because it annoys you so much,” Roy replied before flicking his gaze over to Jason and laughing. “What the fuck are you wearing!?”

“Todd said something ridiculous about ‘school pride.’” Damian looked over at him and shook his head.

Jason crossed his arms, defensive as he glared at Roy and Damian. “I’m just trying to let go of my old life. Embrace who I really am.”

“Which is a giant nerd? Oh wait, you totally are. I've seen your grades, after all.”

Rolling his eyes, Jason muttered, “Is there anyone Tim hasn’t shown my grades to?”

“Nope! Now come on, we’re gonna be late.” He gave a salute to Damian as he grinned. “It’s been a pleasure, as usual.” He laughed as Damian scowled before heading out the door, Jason following.

Jason sat down in the passenger seat, but stopped Roy before he started the car. “I wanted to say thank you. Again. For all your help during the race. After it. I know you've been busy with that Wally stuff, but yeah. Thanks. I'm… glad I can call you my best friend.”

Roy waited until Jason was done before smiling at him. “Still having problems with that boyfriend of yours, huh?”

“Yeah,” Jason breathed out. “I just feel like everyday he’s drifting further away from me. We fight if I try to bring anything up with him. He keeps insisting he’s fine, but I can tell he isn’t! I just…” He paused, taking in a shaky breath before whispering, “I can’t lose him.”

Roy’s smile faded as he reached over, and squeezed Jason’s shoulder. “As your best bud, trust me when I say, it will all work out. You two are stupidly in love! I'd be shocked if you two broke up after all this.”

There was no response from Jason. He didn’t know what to say, so he just gave a weak nod. Roy gave him another squeeze to the shoulder before driving off towards the fair. As they drove, Jason just sincerely hoped his friend was right.

---

Once they arrived at the fair, Jason once again had to hear about his fucking sweater from Conner and Tim.

“It’s supposed to be symbolic!” Jason tried to defend himself, crossing his arms and glaring at Conner and Tim, who were laughing. And of course, their laughter started Roy back up.

“To be fair, guys,” Roy started once he got his laughter somewhat under control, “The sweater is tight. Shows off his muscles. I'm sure there are some people that would really appreciate that. That’s probably the real reason he’s wearing it.”

Jason tried to ignore the way his face went red at that as Tim looked around, finally coming down from his laughing fit. “Where is Dick, anyway?”

Jason chose not to dignify that with an answer, his glare deepening as Roy’s name was called. There was a flash and before long, Roy had a bundle of person in his arms, kissing his face.

“Roy, I have the best news!” Wally exclaimed in between kisses.

Chuckling, Roy gently pulled away. “You’re going to have to stop that to tell me. Though, I do love it.”

Wally smiled brightly at him, barely moving away as he did all but bounce in place with his excitement. “I got into Central City University!”

Roy practically lit up as he squeezed Wally into a tight hug. “I knew you could do it! I'm so proud of you!”

After all of the shit Wally had been through, it was relieving that he had gotten into the school he wanted to. Something made him pause though as he leaned back, smile shifting to a worried frown. “What about you? Will we still see each other after this?” He didn’t know if he could lose Roy, not after everything else he’d lost.

“I’ve already talked to Ollie about it,” Roy said with a reassuring smile. “He has a shop in Central City that I can work at while I attend the local community college. He even set me up with a pretty awesome penthouse apartment. And, if I remember correctly, it should be only a few blocks away from where you’re staying with your aunt and uncle.”

With that, Wally’s grin was back as he hugged Roy again, this time actually bouncing in place with his excitement.

“So, I take it he told you the good news?” Another voice cut in, drawing the others attention. Barbara walked up, holding the hand of some mystery girl.

Jason gazed at her curiously, eyes drawn to their linked hands. “What’s this then?”

Barbara smiled as she looked over at Dinah. “This is Dinah Lance. Officially my girlfriend.”

“Weren’t you in charge of the production of the school dance?” Roy asked, Tim and Conner still staring, shocked at this girl they had never met before. It was just kind of a sudden thing for them.

“That I was. Babs here though, was generous enough to save a dance for me.” She smiled at her girlfriend before directing her gaze to the others. “She wanted to keep our relationship a secret until we found out if we were actually going to work.”

“Turns out, we totally are!” Barbara exclaimed, squeezing Dinah’s hand excitedly.

“Totally are what?” Artemis asked as she joined the group, arm thrown around Megan’s shoulders. Kori and Raven walked up behind them.

“Their relationship is going to work out,” Tim replied, gesturing between Dinah and Barbara. He looked around again, slight frown on his face. “Dick isn’t with you guys?”

“No, I thought he came with Babs?” Megan asked, looking over at Barbara who shrugged.

“I haven’t seen him all morning.”

Jason tried not to let his worry get the best of him. There was probably a perfectly logical explanation on why Dick was late. And no one had seen him. Which meant he was technically missing. But it was fine. He was fine. Everything was fine.

His freak out quickly shifted to annoyance as Roy looked around the group and grinned. Jason knew he was going to hate the next words out of his mouth.

“Aw, look at our little Jaybird,” Roy cooed with a laugh. “Don’t worry, I’m sure he’s just running late. Our Dickie does love a dramatic entrance.”

As if on cue, their whole group turned towards a motorcycle pulling up.

Dick took off his helmet, and shook his head, making his hair even more wild. He grinned broadly at the group as he shut off his bike. “Hey, sorry I'm late. I had a hard time picking out an outfit.”

Jason somehow looked more surprised as he took in Dick’s shirt. It was proudly displaying Haly’s circus, the colors reflecting in the early morning sun. As Dick stepped off his bike and began walking towards them, Jason’s eyes were then drawn to his legs, and the black tight skinny jeans that clung to them. “Dick?” Jason didn't mean to sound so surprised but he just wasn’t expecting all of… this.

Smile growing, Dick gave a little spin, knowing how his best asset looked in the jeans before crossing his arms. “Like the outfit?”

There was a long silence as everyone expected Jason to answer, but he was still at a loss for words. Finally, Kori spoke up. “I, um. Like your jeans.”

“Thanks! I got them at Walmart yesterday.” He sadly couldn’t afford the more expensive jeans at Target. But these jeans still fit him nicely, and the person he really wanted to notice was apparently still speechless, so he counted it as a win.

“So, wait,” Roy said, eyes still focused on his shirt. “What’s with the shirt? Do you just really like the circus or-”

Dick figured it was best for him to just rip this off like a bandaid and quickly blurted out, “I'm Nightwing.”

And just like that, the group was quiet again until Artemis started laughing. “I knew I recognized you! Why didn't you just tell us!?”

Smile turning sheepish, Dick shrugged. “I was worried you would think differently about me.”

“Yeah, maybe think you’re more amazing!” Megan gave him her biggest smile. “All those stunts you do are fantastic!”

“They are pretty impressive,” Raven added with that ghost of a smile of hers.

Wally gave him a mock disappointed look as he teasingly said, “I'm just mad you didn't use your inside connections to get us free tickets.”

Dick laughed, giddy at the feeling of acceptance from his friends. Step one of his plan was complete. Step two looked like it was well on its way as he smirked at Jason and stepped closer. “You’ve still been awfully quiet. You’re starting to hurt my feelings, Jay.” Dick clicked his tongue as he grabbed onto one of Jason’s biceps, admiring his sweater.

Somehow finding words again, the first thing out of Jason’s mouth was, “Wow.” He would be embarrassed by that, but he couldn’t bring himself to care at that moment. Seeing this confident, out there side of Dick was just so appealing, and honestly so hot that Jason didn’t even entirely mind if he sounded like an idiot. “This whole outfit. Everything about you right now is seriously giving me chills.”

At that moment, it was as if the world had narrowed down to just them. “Well, thank you for finally saying so,” Dick teased, running a finger down Jason’s chest. “I appreciate the sweater, by the way. It isn’t really you though, is it?”

“I- You… have just been so closed off lately, and everything’s been so weird. I don’t know. I just thought if you saw a different side of me, it’d help with what you’re going through. Accepting yourself, and… stuff.” That reasoning sounded stupid to him now, even though it made sense before. Obviously, Dick didn’t need his help. He wanted to close his eyes and cringe, but that meant taking his eyes off Dick. That wasn’t happening. Jason felt he was losing control, every look, word, touch was electrifying, and he didn’t want to miss a second of it.

Dick’s smirk turned into a genuine, soft smile. Until it quickly turned back into a wicked grin. That was all the warning Jason got before Dick ripped open his sweater, buttons popping off. Jason stared at him, stunned, before looking down at his sweater now hanging open. “Was that really necessary!? You didn’t even know if I was wearing a shirt under this!” He didn’t feel like getting kicked out of the end of school fair because Dick felt his usual need to be dramatic and exposed his bare chest to the school.

Seemingly ignoring the irritation from Jason, Dick laughed, hooking his fingers around Jason’s belt loops on his jeans to tug him closer. “I was honestly hoping you weren’t. But that sweater just didn't fit you, Jay. Definitely keep these jeans though.” He gave an appreciative glance down before looking back up with a slight smile. “I appreciate the thought, but I like you just the way you are. You don’t have to show me any different sides of you, I already know them. I'm sorry I made you feel so…” he waved a hand, trying to find the right word before settling on, “burdened. It takes two to make a relationship work, you know.”

“I know, I just wanted to help. You seemed so sad before, and I didn't know how to help. I still don’t.” At this point, Jason couldn’t keep himself from touching any longer. He settled his hands on Dick’s shoulders, reveling in the fact that he was able to touch his boyfriend like this again, without him flinching away. It seemed Dick had finally found a way to cope with his trauma, and Jason couldn’t be happier about that.

“You help me more than you could ever know.” Keeping his fingers hooked around the loops, he raised his thumbs slightly to rub at Jason’s waist. “My heart seems to be set on you. I've been neglecting it for too long. Hurting myself even more, and not reaching out like I should have. I should be true to my heart now though, don’t you agree?”

Jason wanted to tease Dick for the cheesiness of his comment, but he was too filled with happiness, and relief at the words. “I guess there’s nothing left for me to do but just follow your lead.” He smirked as he shrugged off his sweater fully, letting it fall to the ground. When Roy whistled, without taking his eyes off Dick, Jason held out his hand and caught the jacket thrown at him.

Dick’s smile grew as Jason put it on. “Much better.” He tugged Jason forward again as he grinned up at him. “If you’re following my lead though, you also should show me more affection. You always seem too hesitant to convey it. Shy, almost. Which is adorable, but not necessarily what I want.” Grabbing Jason’s hands, he guided them down his back and into the back pockets of his jeans. “I can handle this, Jay,” Dick whispered, resting his head on Jason’s chest.

As Dick went back to twisting his fingers in Jason’s belt loops, Jason stared down at him with wide eyes, mouth slightly agape. He was hesitant to touch Dick like this, but just because he thought he would be uncomfortable with it. Especially with everything he went through. Jason focused on grounding himself though. Dick was nuzzling into his chest, being the affectionate person Jason craved, and missed after getting nothing but the dull, uninterested, apathetic side of Dick. When Dick pulled back to smile up at him, Jason did notice a hint of sadness flash in his eyes, but he figured it must just be a work in progress. He wasn’t going to change overnight. Though, he could just be getting better at hiding it. No, no. Jason wanted to trust Dick. He wasn’t going to push him on this. He wasn’t going to inadvertently push Dick away. If - and when - he wanted to talk to Jason, it would have to be on Dick’s terms, no one else’s.

Truth be told, Dick was nervous about the touch, but he was trying to move past it. And honestly, once it was happening, he actually felt fine with it. Probably because it was Jason, and he actually felt safe. He couldn’t say that about many other people. His smile grew stronger as he gazed up at Jason. “Just show me you’re a man that can keep me satisfied. That my faith in you is justified.”

“Did you mean to rhyme?”

“Did you?” Dick shot back, grinning as Jason gave a slight laugh.

“Just… are you sure this is what you want? For us to be like this?” Jason hated to ask, but it was hard to just ignore the fact that Dick had to be hurting . By all accounts, Dick should be in therapy. Maybe he was, and that's what brought on this change.

Dick smiled as he rolled up onto his toes, brushing his lips against Jason’s as he said, “I want normalcy. And I want it with you. You’re the one that I want, Jason Todd.”

“You’re the one that I need, Dick Grayson,” Jason whispered back before finally giving in, and kissing him.

Everything seemed to be perfect in that moment. Jason kissing Dick in the warm, early morning with their friends cheers and wolf whistles echoing around them. It had felt like weeks since their last, actual kiss, and honestly. Maybe it was. But now, things could finally settle down.

Oh, if only it could be that easy.

---

Later on in the afternoon, the fair was starting to wind down. The principal had given a teary farewell speech to the seniors, that really only she had cried at. Dick and Jason had ended up going on every single ride, including going into the funhouse, which Jason decided was not fun. He expressed his dislike, and want for a name change to Dick who just laughed at him.

The last ride they went on was of course the Ferris wheel because Dick liked to be cheesy and cliche. Well, that’s what Jason said anyway. Dick called it romantic and amazing, especially with the sunset, so stop complaining, we’re doing it. Jason could admit though, that once he was actually on the ride, it was a nice view.

Dick sighed contentedly as he laid his head on Jason’s shoulder, eyes fixed on the sunset. “So, what comes next?”

“Since it’s the end of the school year, and we’re graduating next week, I would say probably summer.” Dick lightly nudged him, so he amended, “Which I intend to spend every second of with you.” To emphasize his point, he pressed a kiss to the top of Dick’s head.

“Cute. But that’s not what I meant. I was more referring to tonight.” He was concerned about what would happen after summer- which wasn’t that a familiar feeling- but they could worry about it later.

“Oh. Well, I guess that depends on what you want to do. Roy’s having a party at his house that we could go to. Or we could just go somewhere else. If you’re hungry, there’s the diner.” He gave a one armed shrug, not wanting to disturb Dick from his arm.

Humming, Dick gazed down at his lap, pretending to think over his options. “And what about the Manor?”

“Yeah, we could go there too. Bruce has a meeting though. Damian’s off with Jon and Clark, I think. And Tim’s going to Conner’s, so that just leaves Alfred. It’'ll be pretty empty.” Jason was sure Dick would want to go to Roy’s party instead. All of their friends would be there, and it would probably be one of the last times they were all together before graduation.

Apparently, he was wrong. “So, I’d have you to myself?” Dick was still looking down, trying to mentally prepare himself for what was coming next. For what he hoped was coming next. This was the last part of his plan, the last thing he wanted to change and let go of. Maybe if he was intimate with someone he loved and trusted, he could replace bad memories for good ones. Let go of some of his demons without Jason ever having to know. Without having to hear Jason be disgusted with him.

Unfortunately, it seemed Jason wasn’t entirely catching on. “I guess. Alfred would probably leave us alone so… yeah? And his food is better than the diner anyway, if you’re hungry.”

Their basket had come to a stop at the top of the wheel, giving them a prolonged perfect view of the almost set sun. The sky was cast in purples and dark oranges, but Dick ripped his eyes away from that to stare at Jason instead. Resting his chin on his shoulder, a smirk slowly curled his lips as he reached down to grab Jason’s hand. “I’m hungry for something,” he whispered, eyes flicking down to Jason’s lips before darting back up to meet his wide eyed gaze.

“Oh. You want to… I- I mean,” Jason stuttered, not entirely sure how to respond. He didn’t expect Dick to suggest sex so soon after everything. No way was he fully healed, not yet. It was too soon. “Are you okay?”

Dick looked confused, though his smirk was still present. “Of course. I've just missed you.” He left a small, light kiss to the corner of Jason’s mouth. “I just want a yes or no here, Jay.”

Jason felt like he should say no. It had to be too soon. Was Dick really ready for that? Was he ready for that? At that moment in time, with Dick so close, and warm, the answer was a resounding fuck yes. Jason had missed him too, after all. And he decided to trust Dick here. If he said he was fine, then Jason needed to believe that. Dick needed his support. Hoping he wasn’t making a huge fucking mistake, he felt his own grin form as he tried to look down out of the basket, tipping it forward. “Now, I just really want this fucking thing to go faster.”

Laughing, Dick pulled him into a proper kiss as they heard a warning from below to not shake the basket. That made them laugh harder, which in turn shook the basket more. At least it got the ride moving again.

After they finally disembarked, they gave a hasty goodbye to their friends. They were met with knowing looks and teasing words, but they didn’t care as they got back to Dick’s bike and sped off to the Manor. Once they got there, Jason tried to just get Dick up to his room, but Alfred intercepted them before they could get up the main staircase.

“Ah, Master Jason. Master Dick,” Alfred greeted looking between the two. “Did you enjoy the fair?”

While Jason usually loved Alfred’s conversation, right now, all he wanted was to get to his room. “Yeah, it was great Alfie. But Dick and I were actually just heading to my room so-"

“Would you both like something to eat? I was just about to make dinner.” Alfred looked over with a raised eyebrow as Dick started chuckling to himself. He hadn’t meant to, he just remembered the conversation back at the Ferris wheel.

“No, we’re fine. We'll come down later, okay?” Jason said, hoping to cut this conversation short. It was taking entirely too much time.

“I have some errands I have to run so I may not be here later. I can leave you some easy food to make in case you get hungry, and I'm gone.” Alfred seemed to know that Jason wanted out of the conversation, but didn't care as it seemed he was talking as slow as possible. Though, maybe that was just Jason thinking that.

Dick apparently wanted to join in on Jason’s torture as he smiled politely at Alfred. “What were you making for dinner?”

Alfred didn't get a chance to respond as Jason hurriedly said, “Probably something delicious. Now we should really get going, I'm sure Alf has things to attend to!” He clutched Dick’s hand and began pulling him up the stairs. “We'll be fine, thanks for everything, have fun with those errands!” Jason called before heading down the hall and out of sight. He knew he would get an earful from Alfred later on about how rude he was, but that was something for later Jason to deal with.

And it seemed he was getting it now from Dick, anyway. “That was very rude, Little Wing!” His reprimand was ruined by the slight laugh to his voice and the twitch of his lips.

Stopping in the middle of the next staircase- why did his room have to be on the third floor- he pulled Dick in and planted a searing kiss on his lips. Dick moaned, bringing his hands up to cradle Jason’s face. The rough stubble underneath his fingertips, and the sharp jawline helped to remind him he was kissing a man. His plan was already working to help create distance from that night. He smiled as he leaned back, ending the kiss with a little nip. “Okay, I kind of get why you were rude. You’ll probably still get a lecture later though.”

“Trust me, I'm well aware. But I believe you’re worth it.” Grinning, Jason pulled fully away from him, grabbed his hand again, and continued guiding him to his room.

As soon as they reached Jason’s room- which was so much farther than he remembered it being- he opened the door, and dragged Dick inside. Jason wanted to get back to where they left off, but Dick wanted to explore his room. It seemed like each time Dick was in Jason’s room, he discovered something new. It was all just so Jason, and Dick loved reveling in it.

Wandering over to the bookshelf, he looked over it with a fond smile. “I love how much of a literature nerd you are.” Turning around, his gaze was captivated by Jason’s which was quickly darkening with desire. Suddenly, the room lost all of his interest as his attention zeroed in on Jason.

In the blink of an eye it seemed, Jason was right in front of him, pinning him against the bookshelf. All he got as a warning was Jason’s grin before his mouth was claimed. He let out a breathy, little sound as he threw his arms around Jason’s shoulders, closed his eyes and tried to pull him closer. When Jason’s tongue darted past his parted lips, Dick was hit with the memory of Catalina kissing him, too out of it to push her off.

Eyes springing open, Dick pushed Jason away, breathing heavily. He leaned his head back against the bookshelf, staring at the ceiling. He was supposed to be moving past this, he needed to push himself. He could do this. He would do this. With new determination, he pulled himself together from the minor freak out to look at Jason.

There was a mixture of hurt and concern in his eyes as their gazes met. “Are you doing alright there, Dickie? We don’t have to do this.” He knew it was too soon. The last thing he was going to do was push Dick into something he didn’t feel comfortable with.

Dick saw that Jason was about to call it off, so he pushed off the bookshelf, and moved closer again. “Just had a lot of emotions hit me at once.” Not totally a lie. “I’m okay, trust me.” As if to prove his point, he initiated the kiss this time. He pushed off Jason’s jacket as his tongue ran across his bottom lip.

Jason didn't entirely believe that, but it was hard to think with the lust once again clouding his head. Hands going to Dick’s hips, they slid around to his ass and squeezed before backing up towards his bed.

Following, Dick chuckled when Jason’s knees hit the edge of his bed, causing him to stumble a bit. Jason broke their kiss, and gave Dick a mock irritated look. “Don’t laugh at me when I'm trying to seduce you.”

“Then don’t do adorable things.” Jason playfully glared at him, causing Dick to laugh again as he tugged at Jason’s shirt, wanting it off. This was good. Better. The banter, and laughter. The easiness he felt around Jason was calming.

Taking the hint, Jason tugged off his shirt before pulling off Dick’s. His eyes roved over the bare chest that he had missed so much. He knew he was going to have fun relearning it all. This moment reminded him just how distant they had been these past few agonizing weeks. Grabbing back onto Dick’s waist, he turned them and guided him to lay down on the bed. He gave Dick a soft, loving smile before he began mouthing at his neck.

Again, Dick was stabbed with the memory of Catalina over him, nipping at his neck in much the same way Jason was. His breathing and heartbeat were picking up again, for all the wrong reasons. Closing his eyes, he willed himself to calm down, placing his hands on Jason’s back. Feeling the hard muscle instead of soft feminine curves helped to bring him back to the present. Reopening his eyes, he smirked as he slid his hands into the back pockets of Jason’s jeans, before he let out a broken sound as Jason bit down on his neck. That was something different; Catalina didn’t try to mark him up. Jason was replacing all of her touches, which was what he wanted.

And he really needed to stop thinking about Catalina. He was with Jason, he wasn’t drugged, and he wanted this. He should be able to have what he wanted. Then why did he feel so guilty? So terrible and wrong?

Apparently finished with his mark, Jason leaned back to admire his work before grinning up at Dick. It fell as he noticed the distracted, dull look in his boyfriend’s eyes. The one he grew far too familiar with to be comfortable. “Dick?”

Jason’s rough, husky voice cut through his thoughts. “Sorry, I just got a bit lost in thought there.”

“Oh, I'm sorry. Am I boring you?” He teased but his worry was noticeable through it.

Dick’s brow furrowed in thought as he spread his legs and wrapped them around Jason’s waist. “Actually, yeah. Kinda.”

Jason let out a surprised laugh as he brought a hand up to brush aside Dick’s bangs. “You are such an asshole.”

“No, I'm a Dick.” He gave Jason a teasing grin which earned him a laughing kiss.

“We haven’t been together in so long. Just let me take care of you,” Jason said once their kiss broke before beginning to kiss his way down Dick’s chest.

“It’s okay, quierdo. Let me take care of you.”

Dick jerked at the voice in his head, ringing in his ears, causing Jason to look up in surprise. “Sorry! Just… sensitive right there.”

Jason glanced down at Dick’s abdomen before looking back up with a skeptical expression. Sitting up, he crossed his arms as he gazed down at Dick. “Okay, talk. What the fuck is going on with you?”

“Nothing! You know how expressive I am in bed. How loud I can get.” He felt like his eyes were giving too many of his emotions away, so he focused on Jason’s chest instead. “It’s just been a while, that’s all.”

“No. It’s more than that. You’ve been acting weird since…” He sighed and uncrossed his arms as he tried to catch Dick’s eyes again. “I know you didn't want me to push you, but… I'm fucking worried. You’re worrying me. You need to talk to me, Dick.”

Running his hands up to Jason’s chest, Dick let his fingertips roam over familiar scars. He sat up, pressing light kisses to them, hoping to distract Jason. “Why talk when this is so much more fun?” Dick asked, lowering his voice to the level he knew Jason loved, never failing to give him a shiver.

It definitely got the desired effect as Jason’s head tipped back and he involuntarily shivered and groaned. Jason still wasn’t convinced though, so he would just need to push Dick that bit further. Push him to admit something was wrong. So, he laid Dick back down on the bed, and resumed kissing down his chest.

Dick, for his part, was fine. That is, until Jason got to the zipper of his jeans. As he unbuttoned them, Dick screwed his eyes shut, hoping that he could push through this. If not for himself, than at least for Jason. That’s when he felt him pull away. Cracking open an eye, he saw the other teen with his arms crossed again, eyebrow raised.

“I knew it! You’re not into this at all!” Frustrated, Jason started pushing at Dick’s legs to get them untangled from his waist. He sighed when Dick just seemed to hold on tighter. “Let go, Dickhead.”

“No, Jay, I'm into it, I swear! I'm just-”

“Don’t fucking lie to me on top of it, Dick!” He practically yelled, shocking Dick enough into dropping his legs. Jason stood up from the bed and began pacing, frustrated with himself. With Dick. With the whole damn situation.

Dick watched him pace for a bit before he sat up, and cleared his throat. “Please, just… can we go back to what we were doing? Don’t you want that?” He felt absolutely terrible that he had ruined the mood. He just wanted to give Jason what he wanted, but he also wanted to be better for himself. Why did he have to ruin it?

Running his hands through his hair, Jason heaved an annoyed sigh before stopping and facing Dick. “I only want it if you want it too! It’s obvious there’s something else on your mind. Something’s bothering you.”

Shifting so he was on his knees, Dick reached out to Jason, placing his hands on the other’s hips so he could pull him closer. “Nothing’s bothering-"

“Stop fucking lying to me!” The shout caused Dick to flinch back, hands dropping back to the bed. When he saw the flinch, Jason sighed again and took a seat next to Dick on the bed. “I just want you to talk to me. This has been going on for weeks!”

“I… I can’t. You’ll see me differently.” He sat back on the bed, pulling his knees up to his chest. “I’m selfish, Jay. Please don’t make me tell you.”

“I promise I won’t just leave you.” Jason reached out a hand to rest it on Dick’s knee. “I'm here for you, I told you I was. Is this about what happened with Miriam? Do you… want to press charges now, or…? It might be a bit difficult since it’s been a while, but I'm sure Bruce can help.”

Every word out of Jason’s mouth made Dick feel worse. He was holding in everything, trying to handle his problems on his own. He just didn’t want Jason to see him as disgusting. To be reminded that everything that happened was his fault. But at the same time, he could feel how exhausted he was. He couldn’t stop it now if he tried. “That’s part of it… but I lied,” he eventually settled on saying.

“About what?”

Taking a deep breath, Dick tried to speak slowly, but it ended up coming out in a rush. “I remember more about that night than I let on.” Jason remained silent, hand squeezing Dick’s knee in reassurance. It gave Dick enough strength to force out in a broken whisper, “I remember… everything, Jay. Everything.” He sniffled as a tear fell down his cheek, landing on his knee. Staring transfixed at the wet dot, he continued. “That night I had sex with Catalina. I was about to have sex with Miriam too. But then you came in. I remember thinking there were two of you.” He let out a humorless laugh as more tears fell out, the next one landing on Jason’s hand. He didn’t move it though.

Instead, he brought up his other hand and wiped away some of Dick’s tears. “I’m sorry you had to remember that, Dickie.” The words sounded weak, but he didn’t know what else to say. He had a torrent of emotions raging within him. Sorrow, anger. So, so much anger. On top of it all, he felt regret. Shame gripped his chest so tightly, he felt he couldn’t breathe. He shouldn’t have let him go. He should have protected him. He should have known. How could he not have known? He shouldn’t have just accepted Catalina didn't do anything. He should have realized sooner. Then maybe Dick wouldn't be in all this pain. He tried to repress his emotions though as he gently cupped Dick’s cheek. “I'm so sorry for everything. But Dick, I already told you. Miriam tried to rape you. It wasn’t any sort of consensual thing. Same with Catalina. You aren’t to blame for this, at all.”

Dick wanted so badly to believe him. Closing his eyes, he leaned forward to rest his head on Jason’s shoulder. “But, Jason, I could have stopped it. I mean, I'm bigger than both of them. You’re telling me I couldn’t have pushed them off?” He tried to keep the tears at bay, but he couldn’t seem to as more drops fell onto Jason’s arm and hand. “I'm just a… a guy who likes sex. With everyone and everything. Obviously, I wanted it.”

Jason stared down at him like he had gone crazy, not entirely believing what he was hearing. Where was Dick even getting this from? Jason tried so hard to reign in his anger, nostrils flaring as he struggled to keep his touches light. Wrapping Dick in a loose hug, he shook his head. “You were drugged out of your mind, Dick. That’s the whole reason I even had to take care of you in the first place. Catalina raped you, Miriam tried to rape you. They took advantage and are the ones to blame here, not you.”

Shaking, Dick pulled away, wiping at his face. “Jason, you don't understand.” Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to continue. He came this far, might as well give Jason that final reason to leave. “When I came out as pansexual to the circus, somehow it got out to the audience in the town we were at. It was relatively small, so word traveled fast.”

Jason already hated where this was going. “Dick, you don’t need to-”

“No, I do.” He’d been holding it in so long, no matter what the end result was, he needed to get this off his chest. “When I was about 14, there was this older guy, used to come in all the time. He really took to me, for some reason. He was rich too. He was able to buy out a private show, just me and him. Haly was in with some… less than great people. He needed the money, so he agreed.”

“And you still are with this guy!?” Jason couldn’t help himself, he wanted to wring the guy’s neck. It wasn’t hard to see where this story was going.

“He didn't know! He just knew a whole lot of money was being offered, he needed it, and it seemed innocent enough.”

“Still, he should have protected you!”

“He was trying to protect all of us!” Dick practically yelled back before rubbing his eyes. “If he hadn’t gotten that money, Haly’s wouldn’t have just shut down. We could have all been dead.”

Jason quieted at that, at a loss on what to say. Dick blinked up at him, so much sadness in his eyes, it prompted Jason to softly say, “You’re right. I'm sorry. I wasn’t there… and I'm sorry.”

Nodding, Dick accepted the apology as he hugged himself. He took a shaky breath, lowering his gaze to his lap before saying, “It didn’t start out bad. I just went through my routine, the man watched. But then, he started getting closer to me, and convincing me to get closer to him. Eventually, it escalated to touching. And… I kept quiet about it.”

At Jason’s silence, Dick looked up, mistaking the anger in his expression as directed at him. Dick hurried to explain himself. “I didn't want to be the reason the circus shut down. Jason, you have to understand, it never went beyond touches, I swear.”

Ripped from his thoughts of murder  Jason’s eyes grew wide at the desperate pleading, “Hey, hey, I'm not mad at you! You were a victim, not the one to blame.”

“Not everyone would agree with you there,” Dick responded, not entirely believing the words himself. “During the shows, the man would always remind me of how much I wanted him. Of how much I wanted to fuck, and be fucked by everyone, and everything. How I was obviously attracted to everything so, obviously I asked for this. Why else would I prance around, trying to tempt everyone I saw?” He shuddered at the memories, the words pouring out of his mouth unbidden.

By this point, Jason just wanted to wrap Dick up, and protect him from everything. Instead, not wanting to make matters worse, Jason just placed a comforting hand on Dick’s shoulder. “I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve any of that. You know that’s all bullshit though, right?”

Dick gave a weak shrug. “Unlike you, I had people around me to help me. I was just too cowardly to actually do anything about it.” While Jason never outright stated what happened to him while on the streets, Dick knew he was battling demons of his own. “Once Haly found out, he stopped allowing the private shows, and banned the guy. So, I had help. I had support. I wasn’t completely vulnerable like you. Besides, maybe he was right. We saw what happened with Catalina and Miriam.”

“No, Dick. Don’t you dare compare us and try to say one is worse than the other. Neither of us deserved what we went through. Neither of us are to blame for it either.” His other hand came up to grasp Dick’s chin and force him to lock eyes. You don’t have any blame in this. In any of it. Understand?”

Dick felt warring emotions, battling it out for dominance. Denial, disbelief, guilt, shame. What eventually won out though, was relief. Relief that Jason didn't hate him. Didn't blame him. Wasn't disgusted by him. It hit him harder than he thought it would as he swayed forward, collapsing into Jason’s chest and wrapping his arms around him.

Jason hugged him back, fingers lightly stroking his hair even as he spit out, “I'm going to fucking kill them.”

Dick flinched at the venom in his voice, but relaxed again as he pulled Jason to lay down with him. He shifted around until he was laying on top of Jason, clinging to him as his heartbeat pounded steadily under his ear. It was going to be a long road of recovery ahead, but Dick felt better than he had in weeks. By the way Jason eventually relaxed, and kissed the top of Dick’s head, he was willing to bet his boyfriend was feeling the same.

It was unclear how long they lay like that. Dick broke the silence with a whisper of, “You don't blame yourself, do you?”

Jason wanted to say he didn’t, but the truth was he was feeling guilt over having Dick go, not being fast enough to save him. Swallowing thickly he asked back, “Do you blame me? I would understand if you did. I couldn’t save you before I met you, obviously. But with Catalina and Miriam… Unlike you, I wasn’t drugged. I was just stupid. I should have known something like that would happen, yet I let you go anyway. And then, I was too slow to save you. So, no. I definitely get some blame.”

Dick looked up at him, moving his hand up to cup one of his cheeks. “Jason, you did all you could. It was a hectic day, with your brothers, Wally. There was no other choice, and you know it. Besides, you took care of me afterwards. You brought me back here, you kept me safe . There’s not many other people that would do that. You also didn’t even try to do anything. You made me feel safer than I have in years.” He pressed a light kiss to Jason’s lips. “I don’t blame you, Jason. At all.”

Jason smiled softly as he ran his fingers through Dick’s hair. He didn’t entirely believe that he didn’t deserve some of the blame, but he honestly didn’t feel like reliving this anymore. The conversation helped him, but now he just felt tired and emotionally drained. He knew this was just the start to a long, draining, exhausting recovery. Before he could completely end the emotional talk though, there was something else he wanted to get off his chest. Brushing his lips back against Dick’s, he mumbled, “I love you.”

Dick sat up in surprise, gazing down at Jason. “Jay…”

“I’ve known for so long now, but it never seemed like the right time to say it. But now, more than ever, you need to know how much I love you, Dick. You’re beautiful, inside and out, and I just… You deserve so much more than I can give you, but...” He trailed off as Dick pressed a finger to his lips.

A small smile appeared, slowly growing until Dick was practically beaming. That was one of the last things he expected to hear after admitting… well, everything, but it definitely wasn’t unwelcome. That’s why it was pretty easy for him to blurt out, “I love you, too. You are more than enough. For now, forever. Always. I love you so much, Jason.” He punctuated each statement with a small kiss before moving to straddle Jason’s waist, and leaning down to capture his mouth.

When they parted, Dick felt happiness, and gratitude flood him as he said, “Let’s talk to Bruce today. We should at least get justice against the people we can now, right?”

“I like the way you think. Personally, murdering them seems more appropriate, but I guess I can follow your lead on this.” Unless the court system failed, in which case, he wouldn’t be held responsible for what happened.

Dick laughed and shook his head. “As long as you stay out of jail. I personally like you a lot, right here.” As if to prove his point, his face Jason another quick kiss. “Some might even say love.”

“Again, I like the way you think.” Jason’s smile was soft and full of affection as he kissed Dick back. Once it ended, he coaxed Dick to lay back down, both of them dozing off until Bruce got home.

Chapter Text

2 Months Later

“Hey, Z! You see Dick anywhere?” Jason greeted as he walked up to Zitka’s stall. Instead of directing him like usual, Zitka pointed at him instead. “Oh, you like the suit? Nice, huh?” As if to prove his point, she tried to sweep him forward into a hug, but Jason sidestepped out of the way. “Not today, girl. Bruce will kill me if I mess up the suit.” In retaliation, Zitka lifted up her trunk and blew a puff of air right in Jason’s face, ruffling his hair. With a sigh, he tried to comb it back into place with his fingers. When it was obvious it wasn’t working, he sighed again, and pet Zitka’s trunk affectionately. “Love you too, Z.”

Seemingly content, Zitka patted Jason’s head before pointing to Dick’s trailer. Jason gave her a salute and a grin as thanks before turning on his heel and walking up to the trailer. He knocked as he called out, “Darling, are you in?”

He grinned at the lion tamer walking by, offering a wave and getting a fond, yet exasperated, eye roll in return. The Haly’s Circus workers were generally friendly to him, accepting him easily, but as with Zitka, they loved to give him a hard time.

After a few seconds, Jason knocked again, worry growing until he heard a soft, “Come in.”

Opening the door, Jason sang out, “Honey, I'm home!” in greeting, and let the door shut behind him. He looked around the trailer, eyes landing on the closed bathroom door. He made his way over, leaning his back against it. “You know, Dickie, I'm sure you look beautiful. No need to lock yourself in the bathroom until you look perfect.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Dick responded with a huff of laughter.

“You’re right. You’re always perfect, what was I thinking?” He smirked when he could practically hear the eye roll and head shake Dick was surely giving him.

Jason was expecting a response, but what he got instead was the door opening. He flailed for a moment before righting himself and turning around. Letting out a low whistle, Jason let his eyes rove up and down his boyfriend, dressed to the nines in a charcoal gray three-piece suit.

“And here I thought you couldn't top the dance. I was obviously proven wrong.”

Dick flashed him a nervous look, fidgeting with his jacket sleeves. “You don't think it's too much? Bruce sent it over. He's done so much for me these past few months, and I just- it's just-”

Jason hushed him, grabbing his hands and pulling him towards the bed. Once they were seated, Jason pulled him close, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “You might as well get used to it, Pretty Bird. You’re part of this family now.”

When all he got in response from Dick was a nod, Jason gave him a kiss to the head. “What's really going on? Is it the trial?”

The lawyers on both sides were preparing for the upcoming trial in two to three months. Thanks to Bruce's influence, the trial was moving faster than normal, and Dick had been contacted about needing to testify. Jason knew it was stressing his boyfriend out, but perhaps the new information Jason had learned would help with that.

“You're not alone, you know.”

Dick hummed in agreement, nosing at Jason's neck before leaving a soft kiss. “I know. You've told me many times. I have you, your family, and our friends behind me. Doesn't stop the stress, though.”

“Well, of course,” Jason said, tilting his head so Dick could continue his attention to Jason's neck. “Of course we'll be there to back you up, but what I meant was there are others. You aren't alone.”

That stopped Dick in his tracks, lifting his head so he could lock eyes with Jason. “What are you talking about?” He said slowly, blinking in disbelief.

There was a slight smile on Jason's face at the look, but it disappeared with his next words. “I don't know about Miriam, but you aren't Catalina's first victim. There were others. And they're testifying as well.”

Tears began to prick at Dick's eyes, so he hastily wiped at them. “They - I mean, I won't… there are others?”

Jason nodded, pressing another kiss to Dick's head. “You won't be alone.”

Dick didn't know how to respond, how to deal with all the emotions, so he did the only thing he could. He turned so he could fully embrace Jason, burying his face in his boyfriend's chest. A sob he wasn’t expecting tore it's way out of his chest.

Eyes widening, Jason tried to soothe him by running his hands up and down his back. “I'm sorry, I thought that would help! I - I didn't - Please don't cry.”

Dick shook his head as he leaned back, shaky smile on his face as he wiped at his tears. “No, Jay, you helped. This helped. I'm just so relieved. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely hate that his happened to others. But to know I'm not alone is - it's…”

As he trailed off, Jason pulled him close again, quieting him with a kiss. “I know. I know, Dickie. And you know I'll be there with you every step of the way.”

“I know,” Dick whispered in response, words brushing against Jason's lips. “God, I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Jason gave him another kiss, but before it could go too far, he pulled back and stood up. Offering a hand to Dick, Jason tried for a smirk, though he could feel the shakiness of it. “And you are one of the strongest people I know. If anyone can get through this, it's you. I would be… honored if you allow me to stay by your side.”

Dick allowed himself a real smile, feeling lighter than he had in what felt like days. Taking Jason's hand, he stood up and stepped into his arms. “Wow, really going for the cheesy mushiness today.” His smile turned bigger at Jason's laugh. “Though, it’s gonna take more than that to get rid of me, Jay. You're stuck with me.”

Huffing out a laugh, Jason pressed another soft, smiling kiss to Dick's lips, murmuring, “Good thing I never want to let you go.” Apparently, he was keeping with the cheesiness. But he would allow it, just this once if it made Dick feel better. Stepping back, Jason kept a hold on Dick's hand as he tugged him to the door. “Now, come on, Pretty Bird. We have a party to get to.”

“By party, don't you mean a fancy gala with stuffy rich people, drinking champagne and laughing over their wealth?” Dick asked, arching an eyebrow as they exited the trailer.

“No, I mean hiding under the table, making fun of said stuffy rich people.”

“Can you even fit under a table?” Dick eyed his boyfriend's tall, broad stature dubiously.

Jason shrugged, straddling his bike and handing Dick a helmet. “Depends on what tables Alfie decides to set out. Worst case, we find an alcove. Trust me, I have backup plans.”

With a fond smile, Dick shook his head and got on behind Jason. “Of course you do. At least the night won't be boring.”

“Oh, yeah, definitely not. Not with what Timmy and the Demon Spawn are planning.”

Dick's eyes widened, hands stopping midway to putting the helmet on. “What are they planning?”

“Dunno. But these galas are one of the few times they actually work together to try to do something. One year, they challenged each other to remove jewelry from the guests without them noticing. Actually had quite a good haul at the end of the night.” Jason was honestly impressed they pulled it off so well.

“And… Bruce knows about this?”

“Oh, God no!” Dick rolled his eyes at Jason's horrified tone. “The fun police would shut it down in a second if he found out. Pretty sure Al knows, but he knows everything so, not exactly impressive. Connor would stop Tim, but him and his family are usually gone this time of year to visit the Kent farm, the lucky bastard.”

Dick shook his head, not entirely sure how to respond to that. So instead, he sighed, put on the helmet, and wrapped himself tightly around Jason. “Definitely not boring,” he muttered, relaxing against his boyfriend's back.

Jason just smirked as he started his bike, revved the engine, and took off for the manor.

---

When they finally arrived, a few guests were milling around outside, laughter tinkling in the early twilight. Jason ignored the looks he received as he pulled into the garage and turned off his bike. After Dick hopped off, Jason engaged the kickstand and stepped off, taking the helmet Dick held out to him. They were quiet, both silently preparing for what was sure to be a draining evening.

They made their way towards the kitchen door, both slightly surprised when it opened. Alfred stood in the doorway, light emanating from behind him. “Ah, Master Jason. A letter arrived for you shortly after you left.”

Jason grabbed hold of the letter in Alfred's hand, eyes widening when he saw who it was from. “Gotham University.”

Dick practically vibrated with excitement next to Jason. “Well? Open it, already!”

Laughing, Jason carefully opened up the envelope, smile growing as he read over the words. “I got in.”

There was something suspiciously close to a squeal that Jason was sure came from Dick. Arms found their way around his neck, lips kissing all over his face. He couldn't help but laugh, wrapping his arms around Dick's waist and pulling him close.

“I knew you were gonna get in!” Dick pulled back to properly smile at Jason.

The smile slowly faded off Jason's face. Reality started crashing in as he took in Dick's face. “What about you? What about us? I mean, I can follow you. I did apply to other places. We don't have to… We can figure out-”

With a slight smile, Dick gently shushed him. “I appreciate the sentiment, Jay, but there's really no need. I got my acceptance letter this morning. And there's kind of a thing I talked about with Bruce, but that's a surprise. It should be saved for when Bruce is around.”

Jason's smile returned as he leaned in to give Dick a kiss. Before they could get very far though, there was a very loud throat clearing. They pulled apart to see Alfred preparing to carry a tray of champagne out. “While I am happy for you both, the gala is beginning, and Master Bruce is expecting you to make an appearance, Master Jason.”

Nodding, and ignoring his embarrassment, Jason grabbed onto Dick's hand, putting the letter down on the counter. “Sorry, Alfie. Just got a bit excited.”

“Distracted would be the better word to use, I believe, Master Jason.” Alfred had a small smile as he picked up the tray of champagne. “You should be more aware of your surroundings.”

Jason shrugged with a smirk. “Just tends to happen with this one around.” He let go of Dick's hand to instead sling his arm over his shoulders. He pulled Dick close, pressing a kiss to his head, before leading him out of the room. Of course, Alfred followed along to make sure they actually made it to the ballroom. Which was fair, considering Jason just wanted to pull Dick into another room. It was just a gala, Bruce was sure to have another one soon.

But, when Jason glanced over his shoulder, Alfred gave him a knowing, warning look. So, that was out. Turning back around, Jason stopped in front of the door that would lead them into the back of the ballroom. It would allow them to adjust before being in the real thick of things.

Apparently he had been standing there for too long as Alfred gave him a gentle push forward. Squaring his shoulders, Jason linked his arm with Dick and walked through the door.

The sounds of the gala hit them almost immediately. Glasses clinking, laughter tinkling. It already got on Jason's nerves. Alfred pushed past them to begin making his rounds around the room, while Jason stood to scope out Bruce. He was not going to talk to anymore people than he had to.

Dick tugged on his arm, pointing towards Bruce laughing with some older woman. It was clear she was trying to flirt with him by the way she kept touching his arm, and trying to move in close to him. Bruce kept politely pulling away, so he would probably appreciate the escape.

Jason picked his way through the crowd, keeping Dick close and just giving the people he passed a polite nod. Finally, they reached Bruce. And Jason kind of wished they hadn't.

“So, are you still single, Mr. Playboy? Or has some lucky lady already caught your eye?” She batted her eyelashes, and smiled up at Bruce, leaning in so close, Jason was sure she would fall over if Bruce stepped back. “If you're free, we could get out of here and-”

Jason decided he really didn't want to hear the rest of that, so he quickly stepped in. “Sorry, but Pops here is already taken, and now I really need to talk to him.” Jason gave his best apologetic look to her. Dick always said it looked more like a scowl if he didn't actually feel sorry. Apparently a lot of his expressions looked like a scowl. He was working on it.

“Oh! Well, if you ever want a bit of fun, or an extra partner, just let me know.” She slipped what looked to be a card into Bruce's pocket, patted his hip, then left with a wink and sway of her hips. All three watched her go, stunned.

“Wow. I kind of want to call her,” Jason mumbled, watching her until he felt a sharp elbow jab into his ribs. “But I won't! You know I only have eyes for you, Dickiebird.” He leaned over to kiss Dick's nose, grinning when he got a smile.

Bruce cleared his throat. “Right, well. Thank you, Jason, for your rather… abrupt entrance. You saved me from having to find an easy letdown. Now I kind of understand why Clark wants to publicize our relationship, but I still doubt it would change anything. And it feels wrong, and… Anyway, I'm sure you didn't come here to listen to my problems. What can I do for you, boys?”

“Well, Jay here just got his acceptance letter for Gotham U,” Dick said, flashing a pride filled look at Jason.

“Ah, congratulations. I knew there was really no doubt you would get in. But now that it's official, and you and Dick are together in Gotham, I can tell you this bit of exciting news: I got you a penthouse.”

Jason's mind stuttered to a halt. “A… a penthouse?”

Bruce nodded with a slight smile. He took a sip of his champagne, giving Jason a bit of time to process before continuing. “I figured since the college is further than your high school, you would want something closer. Same for Dick. And I figured you would want to live with your boyfriend anyway, so why not kill two birds with one stone? And this way, you don't have to worry about money and can focus on your studies.”

“Wow. Bruce, I… I don't know what to say. Thank you.” Jason knew that buying a penthouse near his campus was nothing to Bruce, but the gesture still meant a lot to him. So, he did something he rarely did. He hugged Bruce, and he wasn't even that annoyed that Bruce was still a bit bigger than him.

Chuckling, Bruce gave him a light hug back before gently pushing him away. “I don't deserve all the credit. Dick was the one who gave me the idea.”

Jason turned back to Dick, question in his eyes. Rubbing the back of his neck, Dick let out an embarrassed laugh, and had a sheepish smile on his face. “All I said to Bruce was that it sucked we couldn't pick roommates for the dorms.” He shrugged. “I didn't think he would turn around and buy us an expensive apartment. And I've seen it, Jay. It's really nice.”

“Yeah, one thing you'll learn about Bruce is he's not one for small gestures.” He gave Bruce another grateful smile before leading Dick over to a quieter part of the room, that just happened to be by a table that had more champagne on it. They weren't technically old enough to drink, but Jason had been swiping champagne at these things ever since his first gala. It was the only way he survived.

Grabbing two glasses, he passed one to Dick before clinking them together. “To us, and our very bright future.”

Dick laughed before taking a sip and smiling a goofy smile up at Jason. “I'm so happy right now, Jason. I'm so glad we actually get to stay together this time.”

“There's nothing standing in our way now, Dickie,” Jason murmured, leaning in to kiss Dick properly until he heard someone clearing their throat.

“Drinking champagne? Aren't you two minors?”

Jason straightened up and turned towards the voice, coming face to face with Barbara and Roy. “Ah, Babs. How nice to see you.” His eyes narrowed on the champagne glass in both of their hands. “And I'm sure you're gonna rat us out, even though you're also taking advantage?”

Barbara smiled, sipping her champagne innocently. “I don't know what you're talking about. My father may be the commissioner, but he always believes his darling daughter.”

“And like Ollie cares,” Roy scoffed, gulping down the rest of his champagne and swapping it for another. “He's been swiping drinks for me at these things for as long as I can remember.”

Jason wishes Bruce did that for him. Instead, he always got scolded, until eventually Bruce finally realized Jason was going to keep doing it, and gave up. Shaking his head, Jason took another drink of his champagne out of spite at that memory.

“Where are your dates?” Dick asked, looking around as if Wally and Dinah would suddenly appear.

“Wally isn't ready for this kind of thing yet. Doesn't want to face the pity or hear, ‘Oh, but he did so much for the community, how could he be such a bad person?’ So, yeah. He decided to sit this one out. Which is understandable given how much I've had to hear tonight. People know how involved I was, and some are genuinely nice, asking about Wally's wellbeing and health.” His jaw ticked as he grimaced. “Others I just want to punch in the face. They actually try to sympathize with the jerk! ‘He's lost so much!’ Yeah, cry me a fucking river.” He rolled his eyes, finishing yet another glass. Luckily, he didn't reach for another one, and instead grabbed some of the hors d'oeuvres set out on the table.

Barbara nodded solemnly, and rubbed Roy's back. “It'll get better. People will find other things to gossip about eventually.” Roy didn't answer, but his tense shoulders did relax a bit so Barbara kept up her ministrations. “As for Dinah, she's still studying abroad for her film internship thing. She should be back in about two weeks.”

“It’'ll be good to see her again,” Dick said, giving her a sympathetic smile. He knew Barbara had to missing Dinah. She was gone all summer. Dick knew he would miss Jason if he was gone for three months. Even just thinking it had Dick moving closer to his boyfriend.

“Yeah, it will be.” Barbara smiled sadly before seemingly shaking it off. “What about you two? What's new?”

“I got accepted into Gotham U, which means Dickie and I are sticking together.” Jason smirked as he wrapped his free hand around Dick's waist, pulling him close.

“That's great! That's where I'm going too. And Raven and Kori. Connor’s waiting a year until Tim graduates so they can be in the same year. Megan and Artemis are taking a gap year. Something about traveling while they're still young or something.” Barbara rolled her eyes as she added, “As if they won't still be able to do it after college. But whatever. As long as they're happy.”

“I've personally had enough traveling for a bit. After being with the circus for so long, it's nice to settle down for a change.” Dick grinned, leaning against Jason. “And, after this year, hopefully things will finally settle down.”

“Oh, I doubt that, Dickie,” Roy commented. “Even though some of us are going to different schools, I'm sure we'll stay in touch. And things are never normal when we're all together. Add in college, and I'm sure we'll still be getting into some crazy things.”

“As long as though crazy things are legal, Mr. Harper,” a deep voice cut in, belonging to none other than Commissioner Jim Gordon. “I don't want to see any of you at GCPD, you hear?”

“Well, I'll technically be in Star City which isn't under your jurisdiction-” Roy quickly cut himself off at Commissioner Gordon's glare. “But I will stay out of trouble regardless. Sir,” he added, almost as an afterthought.

Commissioner Gordon continued to give Roy a skeptical look before he smirked a ruffled his hair. “Ah, you’re a good kid. I was just teasing ya. I just came over to collect my daughter. Come along, Barbara. There's some people you should meet.”

“Okay, Dad. Bye guys!” She waved before letting her dad lead her off.

“I should go, too. Ollie wants me to mingle for some reason. And I should get away from this champagne. Too much temptation. See you guys.” He saluted before disappearing back into the crowd.

Jason finished off his champagne, placed it down, and settled both hands on Dick's hips to pull their bodies flush together. “Alone at last.”

“Not really. We're still in this big, public ballroom in the middle of a huge gala,” Dick pointed out, trying not to laugh.

“Semantics.” Jason waved it off before smirking and leaning in. That's when he saw the skirt around the table move as if someone pushed it. Letting go of Dick, Jason crouched down and flapped up the cloth. Two pairs of wide eyes stared back at him. “What the- Tim? Damian? What are you two doing?”

Dick crouched next to Jason, eyes wide at the scene before him. His eyes wandered to the wall behind the table, noting the grate missing from the vent. “Are you two crawling around in the vents?”

“It's the easiest way to get where we need to go.” Tim shrugged as if it were obvious.

“Oh, this is your annual prank thing, isn't it?” Jason asked, lips twitching upwards.

“This year, we're swapping out people's food and drinks for random items. Jewelry, books, whatever we can find really.” Tim shrugged again, gesturing to the various items scattered around them. “We just returned from our second trip around the Manor.”

Jason looked around the items, recognizing some of them from his room. “Hey, that's my stuff! You can't use my stuff for your stupid game!”

“We will return it at the end of the night, Todd. Who do you think we are, amateurs?” Damian honestly looked offended.

Sighing, Jason shook his head. “Just make sure it's all put back where you found it.” They were lucky his desire to see this play out was stronger than the possessiveness over his things.

“You won't even notice we were there in the first place,” Tim promised.

“Now leave before you draw too much attention to us, and ruin our plan.” Damian practically glared daggers at Jason. As if that scared him.

“Fine. But if Bruce or Alfred ask, I never knew about this.” He knew what they would say. As the older sibling, he needed to keep his brothers in check. But one, he didn't want to, and two, they would probably be impossible to keep in line anyway. His brothers were both sneaky little bastards. He kind of loved them for it.

When both agreed, even though Jason didn't entirely believe it, he and Dick stood back up, letting the tablecloth conceal his brothers once more. “Well, can't wait to see how that turns out. In the meantime, ready to get back into the masses?”

Dick squared his shoulders, as if preparing for battle. “Let's do this.”

Jason laughed, linking their arms as they set off, back into the thick of it.

Hours later, people finally started filing out of the Manor. Many were confused over the random items they found themselves holding, or even close to eating throughout the night. Though they also quickly brushed it off as another weird thing that happened at a Wayne Manor gala. There were some that honestly believed the Manor was haunted. Jason had to give his brothers props. They were good.

Dick and Jason both said goodbye to Roy and Barbara, though not before the latter commented with, “Tell your brothers they aren't as good as they think they are.”

Roy sputtered before letting out an indignant squawk. “ What? That was Tim and Damian!? I almost bit down onto a baseball! Those little brats!”

Barbara rolled her eyes and led a still yelling Roy out of the Manor.

Once the final guests left, Jason tugged Dick upstairs. They made it to Jason's room without any further interruption. Jason closed the door behind him, and quickly scanned the room. Everything looked to be in order but he would check more thoroughly later. For now, he walked over and opened his window, climbing out onto the ledge. Dick followed after him, both of them swinging up onto the roof.

Once they were settled, they leaned against each other and looked out at the stars. They sat in silence, both enjoying the peace and quiet after the hectic few hours.

“Thanks for being with me here tonight. You made it so much more bearable,” Jason whispered, afraid talking too loud would shatter the moment.

“Of course, Jay,” Dick whispered back, presumably thinking the same thing. They lapsed back into a short silence before Dick chuckled. “There were times throughout this year I didn't think things would end like this.”

Jason nodded, letting out a sigh. “It has been crazy, hasn't it? It feels like so much time has passed, yet it's been no time at all. I don't even know if that makes sense.”

“No, it does.” Dick sat up, tilting his head back to look at the stars above them. “I mean, it's crazy. Starting college, moving in with you. All of the friends I've made when before I had none. And somehow, even though we're all going in separate directions, we're all still staying together. And look at your brothers! Tim’s going to be a senior. Damian's starting high school. It's happened so fast, it's crazy.”

“Yeah, it really is.” Jason looked over at Dick, leaning in to nuzzle his neck. “And through all the craziness, we've been together. And we'll continue to be together, if I have anything to say about it.” He playfully nipped at Dick's neck.

Dick laughed, turning his head to lay a kiss to Jason's hair. “Slow down there, we are just graduating high school. We're still young.”

“I know that.” Jason leaned back, bringing his hands up to cup Dick's face. “But I also know we've been through too much for me to let you go that easily. As long as you want me, I'll be there. But, if you insist, how about we take it one day at a time?”

Dick nodded, smile on his face as he rested his forehead against Jason's. “One day at a time. I love you, Little Wing.”

“I love you, too, Pretty Bird.” With that, Jason leaned in and finally did what he wanted ever since that stupid gala began. He kissed Dick. It started off slow, but slowly grew heated as hands roamed. Dick's tongue flicked against Jason's lips, and he was powerless to stop the moan that escaped.

Once Dick had access, all bets were off. Jason's hands roamed up and down Dick's back, before he got to work untucking Dick's dress shirt from his slacks. Dick swung his leg over Jason so he was straddling him, their tongues tangling together. Dick could taste not only the sweet champagne lingering in Jason's mouth, but also something that was so uniquely Jason, he couldn't help but moan. He nibbled at Jason's lower lip before moving his mouth down to kiss, bite, and lick at Jason's neck.

With Dick's shirt finally untucked, Jason moved his hands under it, shivering at the contact. Dick groaned, moving his own hands up to start unbuttoning Jason's suit jacket and dress shirt. He rolled his hips, about to suggest they head back into Jason's room when they both heard footsteps on the other side of the roof. Parting, they looked over to see Damian round the edge. There was a tense silence as all three stared at each other before Jason noticed something on Damian's arm.

“Is that a hawk?”

Damian looked at the hawk on his arm then back at Jason. Without a word, he fed the hawk before sending it off into the night sky. Damian turned back to Dick and Jason. “You saw nothing,” he said before rounding the edge again and disappearing.

Dick blinked before turning back to Jason. “Time to head back inside?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

They quickly scrambled to head back into Jason's room before picking back up where they left off. With the whole night ahead of them, they decided to take their time. Enjoy the present and face the future together.

One day at a time.