Work Text:
Jason Todd muttered softly when he heard a faint buzzing sound coming from his nightstand nearby. He carefully reached over the person beside him to grab his cell phone off the nightstand, groaning softly at the caller ID blaring brightly. He carefully pulled away from the woman curled up against his chest, shifting his weight to sit at the edge of the bed.
"What do you want Roy? It is way too early in the morning for you to get into superhero trouble for me to bail you out, plus it's my night off to chill and relax." Jason muttered under his breath, glancing behind him to see if he disturbed the woman still asleep.
"Well...it's not superhero related exactly. But I do need a favor, Jaybird." Roy replied, rubbing his neck sheepishly as Jay sighed.
"What exactly is the favor you have in mind. And it better not be anything stupid again. TOok me a week before Sera was talking to me again from the last time one of his favors came into play." Jay muttered angrily.
"I need you to babysit Lian for me today."
"..."
"Come on Jaybird. You said you would babysit Lian for me if I really needed it."
"..."
"Jaybird? You still there?"
"..."
"I know I'm getting a look right now, but I really need this favor. Cheshire dropped Lian off unexpectedly and I have a date planned with Kori tonight." Roy quickly explained before Jay could hang up on him.
"So, you call me at 3 in the fucking morning to ask me. You couldn't have-."
"Lian is selling girl scout cookies."
"Drop her off in the morning and there better be thin mints still on that list." Jay agreed easily. He could already taste the thin mint cookies just thinking about it.
"You got a deal Jaybird." Roy happily cheered before hanging up himself.
Jay groaned softly and rubbed his tired eyes, muttering, "I am in so much trouble in the morning. Oh well, Sera won't be mad if Lian is selling girl scout cookies as well." He set his phone on the nightstand and settled back down beside Sera, tucking her back against his chest.
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Jay slowly blinked awake at an excited squeal and the smell of pancakes cooking. He groaned softly as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Guess Lian's here better go greet the little arrow and see how mad Sera is."
He stood up and cautiously peeked out the room for Lian and her deadly bow. He silently cursed Roy getting her that nerf bow for Christmas last year since she has the same aiming skills as her father and adopted uncle. She never missed a shot with it and he was usually the target of her terror. He slipped out the room and made his way toward the living room, spotting Lian perched in a chair beside Sera cooking. He smiled slightly at the sight and leaned against the doorway to watch, images of the possible future coming to mind.
Sera smiled softly at Lian and giggled as Lian rambled on excitedly about all the things she was hoping to do with her Uncle Red. She flipped another pancake onto a plate that held a stack already and nodded along to Lian's rambling. "Well, I'm sure we'll think of something fun to do once your uncle is awake. But you did remember to write down my order for thin mints correct?"
"Yep! Got it right here on the paper. Of course, Uncle Red's is there too because he loves thin mints too." Lian grinned excitedly as she showed the purchase list to Sera. She hopped down from the chair and scurried over to the kitchen table, taking the plate from Sera.
"ALright. And if Peter would like breakfast too then he should stop lingering in the doorway and come sit his butt down at the table." Sera called, glancing over her shoulder toward Jay's position.
Jay winced at the use of his middle name and softly cursed knowing he was in serious trouble if Sera was using it. He quickly claimed his seat at the table and made a face at Lian when she giggled at him. He glanced up as Sera slid into her seat across from him and silently took the plate she offered him. "Sooo...how much trouble am I in?" Jay questioned as they ate.
"Depends on when you found out you were babysitting," Sera replied quickly.
Roy called at 3 this morning."
"Hmm, and it is now 5 in the afternoon. I and Lian will be crashing in our room then. You'll be sleeping on the couch as punishment." Sera said.
Jay blinked up at her and stared as her words processed through his brain. "The hell? How come I have to sleep on the couch when there's a spare room down the damn hall."
"That's 50 cents in the swear jar Uncle Red," Lian called as she hopped down from the chair. Jay paused in his ranting to stare at his niece and Lian held up a mason jar halfway full of loose dollar bills and coins. She shook the jar at him and grinned widely as she held it out for him to drop some coins in.
"Lian is raising money to purchase a new bow. So, she created the swear jar. Her father has supplied plenty of money already, but she brought it here to see if she can get some money added from her Uncle Red." Sera explained, smirking as Jay dropped his head onto the table.
"Come on Uncle Red, you have to pay up or I'll keep shaking the jar by you," Lian said sweetly, SHaking the jar harder for emphasis on her threat.
Jay groaned and pushed away from the table to go find his wallet. "Alright alright, I'm going to get it. Stop with the shaking. Now, how about a movie instead of annoying me." Jay called back to his niece.
Lian grinned and bounced, yelling, "PIRATE MOVIE! I WANNA WATCH THE PIRATE MOVIE!"
Sera tilted her head in question and glanced up at Jay when he returned with the cash for the jar. He chuckled softly and tugged the "Pirates of the Caribbean" from his stack of movies on the coffee table. He popped the movie into the DVD player and yelped when Lian darted past him to claim a seat on the couch.
"Alright, Kid have fun while the adults have a chat," Jay said, ruffling her hair as he passed her.
Lian nodded quickly and focused on the movie playing as Jay reclaimed his seat in front of Sera to talk with her. He explained the situation to Sera on what's going on and relaxed some when she smiled.
Lian grinned widely at the antics of Jack Sparrow and giggled as he danced around with his jar of dirt. She blinked up at Jay when he dropped into the seat beside her and smile as she snuggled down beside Jay.
Jay smiled slightly and leaned back against the couch. He shifted Lian to sit in his lap and tugged Sera to sit beside him instead of at the other end of the couch. Sera tucked her feet under her and smiled slightly.
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"Lian it's time for your bath," Sera called on her search for Lian. She rested her hands on her hips and looked around the apartment. "Alright, where is she, missy?"
Jay chuckled and said, "Sorry babe but Lian isn't answering to that."
"And what is the young girl answer to then?"
"Well, Captain Lian has demanded that she does not require a bath and will continue to hide until the British Fleet gives in," Jay said, smirking as Sera rubbed her temples. "Ey, this is what I have to deal with when I show her the movie every time. Your turn to figure it out."
Sera drummed her fingers along her arm and leaned her weight on one leg as she rested her hand on her hip. "Alright well since Captain Lian states she doesn't want to take a bath then this captain won't get any treasure."
"A pirate captain needs her treasure. I want treasure!" Lian called, popping up from behind the couch and exposing her hiding place. Sera smirked at Jay as Lian took off toward the bathroom and blew a kiss at his stunned face as she followed after Lian.
"Well, I'll be damned. She actually got little arrow to take a bath." Jay muttered.
"THAT'S ANOTHER QUARTER IN THE JAR!" Lian yelled from the bathroom. Jay groaned softly and shuffled toward the kitchen where the jar was currently sitting. He eyed the level of cash in the jar and dropped in the quarter, muttering, "She's almost got it full to the top."
He glanced at the hall and dropped in a few more dollars just in case he slipped up again while Lian and the jar were still at the apartment. He stretched out her back and hummed softly as he started cleaning up around "Captain Lian's" pillow fort. He smiled softly as he cleaned and glanced up at a squeal and excited laughter.
Lian ran in, holding the end of a borrowed shirt up, and ducked behind Jay. She giggled loudly and peeked around him as he glanced down at her in question. Lian pointed to the hall and Sera tapped her foot as she stopped in the doorway, soaking from being pulled into the tub.
"A certain Captain decided to abandon ship and give reigns to a new captain. Now one treasure then maybe a song and finally bedtime. Am I clear crew?" Sera asked the two of them.
"Ma'am, yes ma'am." Jay and Lian chorused together as they saluted Sera. She nodded firmly and turned back to the hall to go change as Lian and Jay snickered softly. Jay chuckled softly and lead Lian to the kitchen to get her treat and high fived her.
Lian smiled widely as she carried her plate to the bedroom and climbed up onto the bed once Sera had let them in after she was finished changing. Sera settled in beside Lian and took the offered cookie, smiling softly as Lian wiggled closer to her. Lian happily snacked on her cookies as Jay acted out one of her storybooks she brought over and yawned widely after the third book.
"Ahh looks like the young cabin girl is getting sleepy. How about a song then?" Sera softly asked. Lian nodded slowly and laid down as Sera tucked the blanket around her tighter. Jay sat on the open side of the bed and smiled softly as Sera began to sing. Lian curled up against Sera's side and slowly nodded off to the soft lullaby.
"Out like a light. Could never get her to sleep that quickly." Jay whispered as Sera gently adjusted Lian, so she could lay down.
"Well, it's simple really. I've had to help raise Alice and Angel. I have more experience with kids." Sera mumbled softly as she started nodding off herself.
Jay smiled softly and lightly kissed Sera's forehead when she dozed off fully. "Maybe someday in the future, we'll have our own kids." He softly mumbled to himself before settling down to sleep as well.