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The moment his feet hit the pavement of Gotham’s train station, Jason Todd was ready to get back on the train and ride it to wherever the next stop took him. Even in the years since he’d left home, the place hadn’t seemed to change. Worse yet, it was a week from Christmas and his hometown was covered in red and green as far as the eye could see. This was the last place he wanted to be. Especially at this time of year.
No town on earth loved Christmas as much as Gotham. No one hated Christmas more than Jason Todd.
“Just gotta get through the wedding, man.” He sighed.
Pulling his duffle bag over his shoulder, he headed toward town just as the phone in his pocket started to ring. He sighed, pulling the phone free and noting the name on the screen. It was his boss. He was not eager to talk to him, not while in Gotham of all places.
“Yeah?” Jason asked, answering the phone.
“Are you there?” The voice replied.
“I’m here. I’m about to get to the inn. I’ll call you later.”
Jason hung up the phone and pocketed it again. This was going to be a long couple weeks. The things you do for friends.
As he trudged through the snow, a light blue vintage pickup truck pulled up beside him. On the side a familiar banner, looking fresh as the day it was printed: Clark’s Trees. The last thing he needed was this familiar face.
“Is that Jason Todd?” The man driving the truck called at him.
“Hi, Dick.” Jason replied, not turning.
“After all these years, that’s all I get? Hi, Dick?” He laughed. “Want a ride? Just finished a drop off.”
Jason considered his options: trudge through the snow or accept a ride from the well meaning jackass from his past. He let out a long, heavy sigh before stopping to look up and curse the sky to whatever god had put this situation in path.
“Fine.” He caved.
Dick grinned, stopping the truck for Jason to get in. As he approached the door, Jason tossed his bag into the bed of then opened the passenger side door. Getting a better look at Dick Grayson made him instantly regret getting in the cab with him. He’d somehow managed to get more attractive with age.
Sitting there in the driver’s seat with that dumb toothy smile and the big stupid blue eyes he had which were only more noticible because of his stupid blue plaid shirt that was almost the same color as his eyes. His dark hair was a little too long and fell into his face when he moved his head, and he had a days worth of stubble on his cheeks and chin. Stupid woodsy Dick Grayson.
“Buckle up, you know the roads get icy this time of year.” Dick warned.
“We’re going 6 blocks to the inn,” Jason sighed.
Dick didn’t move the truck until Jason complied.
Gotham at Christmas looked like a miniature Christmas town of ceramic houses you’d buy in pieces from a Hallmark store. The whole town was centered at an open space referred to as the town square even though it really resembles more of a rhombus. Around the square were local businesses, shops like Arnie’s General Store that old man Wesker and his daughter had been running for as long as Jason could remember. It had everything you could need, even special orders. Jason used to play with the weird old ventriloquist dummy that sat in the front of the shop when he was a kid.
There was the Fox’s Fix It Shop that was owned by Lucius Fox. He’d retired from working for Bruce Wayne and run the family shop with his son Luke. They could handle anything from a broken bikes to busted computers, even the occasional woodshop project. If it was broken, the Fox’s could make it work like new. And of course, Mister Fox built all the Christmas displays for town.
The front entrance to the Drake Inn took up a big chunk of the land off the square and the land behind it, it also was the owner of the towns gazebo bandshell. Jackson Drake and his second wife had run the inn until he retired to Boca and left to his son Tim and his boyfriend Conner Kent. The towns huge Christmas tree was beside the gazebo which was decorated already, garland and bows covering the gates around the bandshell.
“Be nice to Tim,” Dick said as he parked his truck in front of the inn. “Maybe I’ll see you around while you’re here?”
How could he possibly not see him around? The town was small and the only things to do were in the square. That or hike down the street to the tree farm where Dick worked.
“Probably. If not, I’ll at least be at the wedding.”
Jason hopped out of the truck and grabbed his bag before looking back at Dick with a salute to say thank you for the ride. Dick nodded back.
“Save me a dance?” He asked hopefully.
“Probably not.”
Dick laughed, shaking his head as he drove off.
Drake Inn was covered in Christmas decorations, wreaths and garland hanging from anywhere they could stick it, with big red bows and a big tree in the entryway. There was also a Hanukkah display with a menorah near the seated kitchenette where continental breakfast was served every morning, and Holiday Happy Hour was held every night from 5-9.
Tim was behind the check in desk, on the phone. He nodded to Jason as he came in but didn’t seem to immediately recognize him, as Jason had almost immediately gone to inspect the tree. It was real, a douglas fir which appeared to be local, so absolutely from the Wayne-Kent farm. He sighed, taking a quick picture on his phone before heading over to the desk.
“You know, I saw your name in the guest reservations but I didn’t believe it,” Tim said as Jason approached.
“Here for the wedding.” Jason admitted, leaning against the counter. “What’s good, replacement?”
Tim had worked a few seasons for the tree farm when Jason left. He’d taken the job that Jason had vacated and he’d been referring to Tim as the replacement ever since to those he kept contact with. It ruffled Tim’s feathers from the looks of his wrinkled nose, so Jason noted to keep doing it.
“Well, they’ll be very happy to see you, I’m sure.” Tim said, handing over the key. “I made sure to avoid the prom room.”
“Oh shut up, it’s not that dramatic.” Jason rolled his eyes.
“He’s single, you know.” Conner came from the back room and wrapped his arm around Tim. “Has been for a couple years now.”
“Weird… this is all weird.” Jason replied, waving his hand in front of the two of them. “Is this what you do to all your guests, tell them people are single?”
Jason didn’t let them answer, before grabbing his bag and heading up the stairs to his room. Once in there, he dropped his bag and flopped on the bed. This was going to be a very, very long visit.
Kate’s Cafe was on the opposite side of the square next to the inn. Beside it was Jokes and Riddles, a toy and novelty store run by two brothers who’d failed in the big city at being stand up comedians. On the other side, A Girl’s Best Friend, a boutique owned by local socialite Selina Kyle. Kate bought the cafe from the previous owner as a way to have a more relaxing life once her service in the military was over. She’d been running the place with her wife and part time deputy Maggie and their sometimes third Renee.
Kate was one of the few people in this town that Jason could stand to see for more than ten minutes, that wasn’t included in his Degenerate Friends. She passed no judgements and barely looked up when Jason entered the cafe.
He was greeted by a new face in town, a large german shepherd that gave him a stare down before returning to the pensive position by the christmas tree.
“When’d you get a mutt?” Jason asked, sliding onto a stool at the counter.
“Ace is a service dog, a Welcome Home from my cousin.” She nodded to him. “Coffee, stranger?”
He nodded back. Kate set a cup down in front of him and filled it with coffee before putting the sugar container and creamer on the counter next to him.
“You know, of all the places in town, I thought here is where I’d escape Christmas.” Jason laughed. “And yet…”
He motioned dramatically around the decorated diner before pouring sugar into his coffee.
“It’s Gotham. I couldn’t avoid Christmas if I tried.” She rolled her eyes. “I just learned to accept and have my very few moments of Hanukkah joy.”
The bell rang above the door indicating a new patron had entered the cafe. Before Jason could turn on his stool, Kate gave him a look that said don’t turn around. He sighed heavily, looking up at her with an exhausted expression before she laughed and addressed the newcomer.
“Here to get your lunch, Dick?”
“Yeah, picking up the farm order.” Dick replied. “You get settled in, Jay?”
Jason nodded, sipping his coffee. He didn’t want to engage right now. Not here. There were too many witnesses milling about which meant there would be too many people involved in their business. Just keep interaction to a minimum.
“Tree lighting is tonight. You gonna come out?” Dick asked.
“Doubtful. You know that was never my scene.”
Dick rolled his eyes. That wasn’t true at all. Their first kiss was at the tree lighting ceremony freshman year when they started dating. The Christmas festival in the town square had been their teen love story coming out party and where they’d always exchanged a kiss under the tree. To say it hadn’t been his scene…
“Well, it’d be nice to see you there. Pamela sure did pick a tree this year.”
“I’m sure there will be a better one at the wedding.”
Kate returned, sensing the tension between the two men. She gave Dick a sympathetic look before handing over the paper bag of food. He took it from her, then handed her some cash for the food and nodded, retreating for the door. Jason didn’t turn to watch him go, and waited to exhale for the bell to ring.
“Renee wants to see you in the back.” Kate motioned her head.
“Kate, no… come on, really?” Jason protested.
Kate shrugged. “The cards speak when they speak, is what I’m told.”
In the back room of the cafe was warmly decorated cozy nook of with two large comfy chairs, blankets and pillows strewn about and a welcoming end table. It looked like a pottery barn christmas catalogue guide for the one percent decorating their ski chalet in aspen. But in this case, it was the side gig work space for Renee “The Question” Montoya.
She looked nothing like your stereotypical fortune teller, she was dressed in jeans and a warm looking sweater with ankle boots and her hair in a ponytail. She looked more like a basic instagram photo. Which was fine by her, because as she informed Jason many times, the stereotype was racist and she wasn’t in there doing Santeria either, “so stop singing 311 at me”.
“Welcome home,” Renee greeted. “Boy are you in a space.”
“I’m fine. I’m dandy. Don’t I look dandy?” He chided, flopping in the chair.
“Sure, sure.” She smiled. “You know the drill.”
Jason reluctantly sat up in the chair and motioned with his hand waved over the table for Renee to proceed with her forced reading. He could swear when she touched the cards, her face disappeared but she never confirmed or acknowledged that and it was back as quickly as it vanished as she shuffled the deck waiting for him to tell her when. He gave a nod when he felt it had been shuffled enough, and she cut the deck.
“I don’t want to touch your cards.” Jason said.
“Bold of you to assume that I’d let you.” Renee replied. Three cards: the problem, the cause and the solution.” She stated.
She drew the three cards and set them down one by one, face up on the table before her attention turned to the first card with an image of a wintery scene, a woman in a cozy chair much like Jason occupied, wrapped in a blanket in front of a frost fogged picture window. Outside, beautiful winterscape of snow-covered pine trees. The woman sipped a mug her back to the window and two cats resting on either side of the window seat behind her: a black cat and a black and white cat.
“Ah, The Hermit…” Renee said.”
“Do you seriously have Christmas themed tarot cards?” Jason reached to grab the card.
Renee slapped his hand away with a stern look before he yelped and retreated to his seat, rubbing his hand where she’d made contact.
“The Hermit is reversed facing you. This usually indicates loneliness or isolation or withdrawal…”
Jason stared blankly at her. Renee rolled her eyes. Of course, Jason felt isolated and lonely. Didn’t everyone?
“Fine, don’t talk to me. I’ll just read your cards and let you move on to your avoidance.”
The second card depicted a woman dressed in a red dress with white trimmed fur and wrapped with a scarf tangled around her body, wind blowing it over her eyes. Behind her, eight giant candy canes. Jason was already tired of this Christmas scene and he had only been here a day. How was he going to make it another week? A Christmas tarot deck was the dumbest thing they possibly could have made.
“Eight of Swords is your next card. You’re feeling restricted, limited… something is holding you back. Either you or an external force.”
Jason nodded, knowingly. “I just… really want to celebrate Hanukkah.”
Renee scoffed. “Fine. Whatever, Jason..”
Finally she drew her attention to the final card in front of them. It was a table, with six cups of egg nog in front of a roaring fireplace. She smiled at him, but it was more of a devious smile than he would have liked. He was starting to prefer her without a face.
“Six of Cups, joy, childhood memories, finding love… they’re all represented here.”
“Okay, that’s… enough.” Jason sighed. “I see what this is.”
“Jason,” Renee said sternly. “I don’t speak for the cards. The cards speak for themselves and they say you’re lonely and miserable probably because you don't think you deserve anything and maybe someone is adding to that, convincing you that happiness is somewhere it isn’t. To fix it you should reconnect with your childhood and the people who made you feel happy and safe."
Jason sat there staring at the cards for a long time. He did feel miserable, and lonely. He was in a job he hated and his boss made him feel trapped there. But… connecting to his childhood, people that made him feel safe? Were they all really going to spend this whole week trying to reignite the sparks between him and Dick?
“Rigged,” He scoffed. “This is a set up.”
Renee stood up, glaring at him. He instantly sat back in the chair.
“Cards cannot be rigged. The cards speak only the truth. Take it, or leave it.”
With that, she left the room without another word. Jason was alone in the nook, staring at the cards staring at him. Lonely boy, find love so you can quit your job and move home. Sure thing, cards.
His phone rang as if it was on cue.
“Jason, I haven’t heard from you today but the pictures your sending of the trees, very good recon.”
Slade. His boss. Slade Wilson, head of the Jericho Rose Company. They manufactured and sold fake trees and over priced “hand crafted” ornaments that were supposedly imported from somewhere in the middle east. They were made in a factory outside of Jersey City, which had always bothered Jason.
“Yeah, well… I’ve only been here a day so I’m sure there is more to come.” He responded.
“Good. If we can find a way to make our trees look just as real as those ones Pamela grows, we’ll lead the market.” Slade replied. “Get over to that farm and maybe bring some samples home.”
“Listen. I’m not really here for that.” Jason started.
Slade cut him off. “Get this done, and by next Christmas you’ll be VP of development.”
The call disconnected before Jason could protest. He pocketed his phone and glanced at the cards one more time. Maybe there was something to her reading after all.
The next morning Jason stumbled down the steps from his room at the inn, toward the communal breakfast space. It was bustling already with other guests, and the smell of waffles and bacon filled the small space. He needed coffee before he could manage false joy with Gotham Christmas tourists. He steeled himself before striding toward the coffee at the far end of the breakfast nook.
Just as the counter was in sight, a tall, beautiful redhead stepped in his path, handing him a santa themed mug of coffee. She gave him a knowing grin, her eyes picking up the sparkle from the green rhinestones on her shirt that said “Bride”. Jason graciously took the mug from her.
“Come on, we’re in the reception hall with a private breakfast.” She said, taking his arm.
“You had me at private.” Jason replied.
Pamela Isley was one of Jason’s crew from high school, that he referred to as his degenerate friends. Along with Roy Harper and Harleen Quinzel, with the occasional attempt to corrupt Kate and Renee, the group could be found smoking and drinking under the bleachers and cutting gym class. And health class. And sometimes history. Pamela later got her grades up and left Gotham for a degree in botany and returned to help curate the selection of the tree farm.
“I will warn you now…” Pamela stopped just before the door.
Jason raised a brow. “Dick’s here…?”
Pamela made a face. “No, he’s at work. It literally looks like a Christmas bomb exploded in there. And I take zero responsibility for it.”
Jason sighed, taking a deep breath, nodding to her. Pamela gave him a sympathetic smile before opening the doors to the event hall where the reception would be held later that week.
She had not been joking about the Christmas bomb. There was not a surface in the room that wasn’t covered with a decoration. There were tables with white tablecloths with red and green chargers, gold utensils and centerpieces made of springs of spruce and holly berries around a vase containing a white candle. The walls were covered in garland with red and gold bows, the head table with a matching garland and gold script wood Mrs & Mrs hanging from the center. There were trees in every corner, decorated in red and gold and white, fake snow and hanging twinkle lights from the ceiling. Each chair had red or white ribbon.
In the center of the dance floor sat the second bride, in red and green plaid pajama pants with a matching white shirt to Pamela’s with bride in red rhinestones. Her blonde hair was in pigtails with the tips dyed red and green. When she noticed them, her eyes lit up and she scrambled to her feet with her arms straight up in the air.
“JASON!” Harley squealed in a register Jason was sure only dogs could hear. “You came!”
“Yeah,” Jason winced. “I came. I sent the RSVP.”
She practically tackled him in a hug and he only managed to stay upright because Pamela was standing behind him to push him forward.
“Yeah but, that doesn’t mean you’d come.”
She pulled back, standing a foot shorter than him with the grin still plastered on her face. She looked so happy he could almost forgive the inconsiderate nature of a Christmas wedding. Almost.
“The big tree is being delivered soon, so you could stay… and help us decorate it.” She coaxed. “There’s free food. And Ma Kent’s famous hot chocolate.”
Jason sighed. “Who is delivering the tree?”
“You know damn well who is delivering the tree, Jason.”
He stared at Pamela with blank eyes before sipping his coffee and walking away to ravage their food table. Of course, he knew Dick was delivering the tree. He had hoped it would be literally anyone else. Maybe Dick’s truck would break down and he wouldn’t make it, so Clark would have to come. Or there was a surprise last minute hot lumberjack convention he’d need to get to.
“You could just talk to him…” Harley said, following behind Jason.
“Why though?” Jason asked. “When I could not do that which is the option I like.”
He grabbed a waffle with the little serving tongs and dropped it on the plate he’d picked up. She grabbed the waffle off his plate and shoved it in her mouth.
“Because! It’s what I want as a wedding gift.” She replied.
Jason put another waffle on his plate without breaking eye contact.
“Too bad, I already got you a Ninja airfryer.”
From the corner of his eye, Jason could see Pamela opening the double doors to the event hall. A large tree on a dolly came in first with Pamela directing the cart as she walked backwards, attempting to help the tree avoid tables. Finally, the person pushing the cart was visible. It was not Dick.
Clark was making this delivery personally, with Bruce trailing behind (not helping) with gaze steady on the phone in his hand. Once the tree was pushed to the dance floor, Clark stood it up in the stand and pushed his glasses back up his nose with his index finger.
“It looks really nice in here,” he told the brides.
Bruce said nothing.
Jason waved from the food to Clark, who gave him a smile and waved back before walking over to greet him. Jason didn’t have time to escape before being wrapped in a hug from the larger, stronger man.
“I didn’t know you were in town!” Clark cooed. “Welcome home!”
Jason was surprised. Dick didn’t say anything about him being here? That didn’t seem right. Maybe he wouldn’t tell Bruce but Clark? Clark knew everything about Gotham and who was coming and going. That and Dick had always been his best pal.
“You’re making a delivery?” He asked.
“Oh, yeah. Dick had something to take care of so I’ve got the big wedding delivery.”
Jason wasn’t going to press any further. Talking to Clark made him feel bad. He was here to help destroy the tree farm he worked so hard at and loved so much. How could he look this man in the eye who had never been anything but good to him while he worked behind his back for Slade’s bottom line?
“Jason! Come help me decorate!” Harley called.
The noise of her yell made Bruce finally look up from his phone long enough to nod at Jason and then see himself out of the room. Cold shoulders were his thing and Jason was glad to see that nothing really changed in Gotham.
“I’m coming.”
After decorating for a good portion of the morning, the last thing Jason wanted to do was head to the tree farm. He had a job to do and he figured midday would be a fairly quiet time. Most people in town would be at work, at the Wayne Pharmaceuticals company on the top of the hill. The Wayne family had been in the business of medication for decades but Bruce had really turned it around to work on affordable and helpful medications.
He stopped at Kate’s diner and approached the counter. He wasn’t hungry but it was about lunch time. He knew that Dick would be picking up the tree farm’s lunch order so, as a gesture, he decided to deliver it.
“Dick been in yet?” He asked.
Kate raised a brow. “No, orders just about to be up… he won’t be in for 15 minutes.”
He grinned. “Lemme deliver.”
Kate sighed. “Fine, but I’m not paying you.”
When he reached the tree farm it was a surreal experience. Memories of chasing Tim Drake through the trees playing tag or hide and seek. He remembered sitting on the bench watching Dick sell trees like he was born doing it, pointing out all the little facts about each classification of pine while Jason sipped Ma Kent’s hot chocolate. Harley flirting with Pamela by grabbing mistletoe and just holding it above their heads as poor Pamela tried to work before she’d inevitably give in and drag Harley into the warming house.
It hadn’t changed at all, in all these years, from the big sign at the gate with it’s folksie wooden charm, Clark’s Trees painted in red with little green tree stamps around it. It was tied to the rod iron fence with red ribbon. The warming house had a big wreath on the door that said welcome, and next to it an outdoor cashier booth to purchase the trees. Everywhere was a sea of snow-covered pine and it smelled like cinnamon, nutmeg and evergreen.
Jason snapped a few pictures of the outside before he walked through the gates along the well trodden path to the warming house. Inside people could mingle and eat cookies, drink hot chocolate and buy select decorations that were handmade by the Gotham Youth Project, an after school program at the library run by Barbara Gordon.
He noticed in the field was Dick, in one of his stupid blue flannels, talking to a young man with red hair and his mother. He was selling them the perfect tree. If Jason was really honest with himself, it was a perfect tree. One that Slade would kill to make the plastic crap they sold look like.
“I know you’re about to sell this, but I really need a picture of this perfect tree!”
Jason stepped into the aisle with his phone out, snapping pictures of the tree. The boy looked up at his mother with a pleading look, as Jason’s stunt had made it clear this was the tree for them. The mother sighed, looking at her son, then back at Dick.
“It’s a bit out of our price range, Dick.” She said.
Dick smiled. “You know, this close to Christmas it’s impossible to find a tree this beautiful, even on our lot. So… let’s say… $20 off, you know… for Christmas.”
He winked at the kid as the mother laughed. She nodded in agreement caving to the demands of the small child.
“Go on over and have Cass ring you up, I’ll deliver it for you tonight.”
She took her son off as he waved to Dick, and trotted after his mother. Jason turned to him, giving a smirk before leaning against a nearby post where a tree had once been. He had to admit, he missed stuff like this. Dick was good with people, far better than Jason had ever been. He was warm and inviting, easy to talk to and knew the limits even if he liked to test Jason’s.
“Not that you needed the help, but you’re welcome,” Jason gloated.
“How have we managed all these years without you here to make the big sales,” Dick laughed rolling his eyes.
“I brought your lunch. I wanted to… swing by anyway, say hi.”
Dick looked at Jason as he swung the bag up and held it arms length from him. He narrowed his eyes, reluctantly taking the bag.
“What do you want…” Dick asked cautiously.
“Nothing,” Jason said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Okay, so.. To apologize. For being a prickly and for… bailing. On you. On us.”
Dick swallowed, nodding before looking down. His smile faded some as he took the bag and motioned his head toward the warming house. When Jason had left it had broken his heart, though had forgiven, bringing it back to mind still hurt. He never got an explanation.
“Stay for lunch… maybe we can just talk?”
Jason nodded and followed Dick inside.
He wasn’t sure where they night had gone but before he knew it, Dick had closed the gates of the farm and was turning out the lamps outside. He’d spent the whole afternoon there, laughing and reminiscing about the hours spent here as kids. Jason helped Dick load his deliveries into the truck before watching him lock the gates.
“Thanks for hanging out today,” Dick said, turning to face Jason.
“Yeah, it was good to catch up.” Jason replied.
There they stood, awkwardly staring at each other under the stars and the twinkle lights from the tree farm. Jason wasn’t sure if it was the mood he was in or the way the light caught hints of blue in Dick’s hair that made his eyes pop against his tanned complection, but something compelled him to close the gap between them.
Dick didn’t step back, but he didn’t make eye contact with Jason, not until Jason put his hand on Dick’s face and tilted his chin upward. They made eye contact only a moment before Jason leaned in and kissed Dick on the mouth, soft and simple, snaking his free arm around Dick’s waist and pulling him closer. To his surprise, Dick didn’t pull away.
The longer he spent in Gotham the more he was missing the small town life. Everyone knew him and was happy to see him. Everyone was filled with Christmas spirit and joy. He could settle in here again, especially now that things were starting to rekindle with Dick.
But he still had his job. He couldn’t just give that up. Slade paid him well, and with the promotion he’d get in the New Year, he could finally stop working so hard. Would he really give up all that to get back together with his high school sweetheart and live in his hometown?
He could figure that out later, because he was running late to meet Dick for Pamela and Harley’s Ugly Sweater Rehearsal Dinner. He sure did have an ugly sweater. He headed downstairs to find Dick waiting in the lobby of the inn, chatting with Tim. He had the ugliest sweater Jason had ever seen, which seemed appropriate for Dick’s level of holiday spirit.
“Well.. don we now our gay apparel,” Jason laughed.
“Technically, anything I don is gay apparel but I see what you’re going for,” Dick teased.
Jason wrapped his arm around Dick’s neck and shoulders before pulling him in closer to walk into the inn’s restaurant, Mayo’s, run by Michelin star chef Mitchel Mayo. The place already bustled with the guests, drinks in hand, mingling about. It was like everyone in town was there. Jason kissed Dick’s cheek before excusing himself to go find the Brides.
Harley was standing by the cake they’d had made for the rehearsal dinner, taking a fingerful of frosting off the bottom, near the back. She saw Jason approach and quickly shoved in her mouth before trying to appear innocent.
“Don’t let Pamela catch you doing that,” He warned.
“Pammy will be fine! It’s a party! We should have fun!” She laughed, wrapping her arms around Jason. “Speaking of fun, did you come in here with Dickie Grayson? Has all of our coaxing finally paid off?”
“Your coaxing has been more like a shove off a cliff, girl.” Jason replied. “But… yeah, we’re seeing what happens.”
Harley squealed loudly, causing Jason to wince and put his fingers in his ears. She waved Pamela over bouncing up and down in place.
“Paaaaammmy come here!!” She called.
From where she was standing at the other side of the room, talking to Selina, Pamela rolled her eyes before gesturing toward her bride and walking over there. She regarded Jason with a curious expression.
“Ye--”
“JASON AND DICKIE ARE DATING AGAIN,” Harley blurted.
Thankfully the music was loud and the chatter was just as loud, so only a few people glanced over. He sighed heavily, feeling suddenly very uncomfortable, scanning the room for Dick. He was in the corner with Barbara and her father and seemed blissfully unaware of the Harley’s announcement.
“Could you keep it down?” Jason asked. “It’s a trial. I’m not here much longer.”
“So you’re just going to… date him for the moment?” Pamela sounded annoyed.
“No!” Jason sighed. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
As the two women started to discuss with him how he should proceed anything from inviting Dick to move back to the city with him to a Christmas day proposal and agreement to move back to Gotham, Jason noticed Bruce checking his phone and going into the hallway to take a call. He realized then that he had not heard from Slade in awhile.
He excused himself from the chatter. If this had something to do with Slade’s plans then he needed to be sure to intercept Dick before Bruce could come share the news. If this was going to come out, he didn’t want it to be here in front of everyone, and he wanted Dick to hear the news from him.
“Hey…” He came up behind Dick.
Dick leaned into him, smiling as he listened to a story he’d heard a thousand times from Jim Gordon about the one time there was a crime spree in Gotham and it turned out to be one of Damian Wayne’s dogs in training hoarding what he believed were toys.
The party was nice. The people were happy. And so was Jason. So he kept an eye on the door to make sure he knew when Bruce came back in. But he never did.
After dinner, Dick walked Jason back to his hotel room. Jason opened the door looked over his shoulder, inviting Dick in. He obliged, glancing around the room and shaking his head.
“True to form, this room is a mess.” Dick laughed.
Jason laughed in return. “Some things never change.”
He excused himself to the bathroom, leaving Dick alone. He started to clean up the hotel room. He picked up clothes and folded them in a pile next to Jason’s bag. He picked up empty paper cups and dumped them in the trash. On the table next to Jason’s laptop he saw a few print outs. He tried not to look at them but he noticed they looked a lot like the farm.
He picked up the papers, looking them over. They were renderings of a store. It looked just like Clark’s farm on the inside, right down to the gates as the doors. Above the door was an identical sign to Clark’s but the name said “Jericho Rose Christmas Emporium”. Dick’s heart sank when he realized what they were.
Jason opened the bathroom door and came out without the sweater on. He looked at Dick who didn’t even try to hide the papers in his hand. He could tell already by the furrowed brow and the drawn in mouth that Dick was hurt. He’d seen that face before from the window of the train as he left town all those years ago.
“So this is why you came home? To steal Clark’s concept?”
“It’s not.. No, that’s not why I came..”
“I can’t believe I let you in again. I can’t believe I trusted you.” Dick spat. “I get that you didn’t love me enough to stick around or you have some issue with Bruce… but Clark? You’d ruin his dream? Everything he’s worked for?”
“Dick, it’s not… it’s not like that!” Jason reasoned. “Just listen to me…”
“I’ve done enough listening.” Dick threw the papers on the ground. “Just go home, go back to Slade.”
Jason tried to grab Dick’s arm to stop him from leaving but he pushed passed Jason too fast and slammed the door behind him. He sighed, staring at the door before sitting down on the bed. This isn’t what he wanted.
The next morning Jason sat down on the edge of his bed in his wedding suit weighing his options. He had this deal with Slade, this opportunity to run the franchises of Christmas pop up tree farms that made the artificial tree experience feel like the old fashioned Christmas tree shopping. He’d make a lot of money, he’d get the promotion he’d been working for, he’d be set for life with this gig. But on the other hand, he could tank this, confess everything quit his high paying job and follow his heart to love, the love that never died. Beg Dick to forgive him and spend the rest of his life making it right.
There was a knock at the door and Jason got up to open it. In his heart he’d hoped Dick would be on the other side ready to talk it out. He tried to hide the disappointment when the open door revealed Bruce in his tux for the wedding.
“I want to talk to you, before the festivities.” He said plainly.
Jason invited him in.
“This won’t take long.” Bruce said. “I have known you were here to spy for Slade since before you arrived. He’s been working at this for some time.”
“Yeah, I figured you knew, or at least had an idea.” Jason sighed.
“This morning I confirmed with my lawyers that the concept and designs of Clark’s Trees are all trademarked. Ma Kent’s hot chocolate recipe is now patented. So if Slade goes forward with these designs and this concept, he’ll be in breach of that trademark. He’ll be tied up in litigation for years.”
Jason had to laugh, because what else would he do? They’d been playing this chess game for years. Slade was always trying to screw Bruce over and Bruce was always on step ahead. He shook his head before sitting back down.
“So what now?” Jason asked.
“It’s your life, Jason,” Bruce told him. “But if you’d like to stay here, I have a job offer for you.”
The wedding went off without a hitch, Bruce had walked Harley down the aisle and even Jason had shed a tear as the brides exchanged their vows. He was glad at least someone was going to walk away from this week happy. With the revelation about Slade’s business plan being thwarted and the offer he’d had from Bruce, he had a lot to consider.
None of it would matter though if he couldn’t get Dick to listen to him.
While they were at the reception, he kept his distance from Dick. He didn’t want to make a big scene at the party. Well, at least not until after the cake. He pulled away from watching the party when his phone rang.
Stepping out of the reception and skipping the lobby to go outside and take the call, he answered his phone.
“Jason, I want to know exactly what conversations you’ve had with Wayne since you got there. I’ve gotten a cease and desist from his legal team regarding our plans!”
“Look, Slade, he was just on to you. I didn’t talk to him until he’d already made his move and told me about it.” Jason sighed. “Guess you need a new plan.”
“Get back here, right now, we have a strategy meeting in the morning.”
Jason laughed. “We’re not having a strategy meeting on Christmas, Slade.”
Slade started to respond but Jason didn’t hear it. He tossed his phone outside into the snow then turned around to walk back into the inn just as the door was opening. Before he could dodge, he’d bumped right into Dick who was trying to leave.
“Hey, sorry…” Jason said.
Dick nodded, stepping aside to let Jason back inside.
“You’re leaving?”
Dick sighed. “Just wanted some air.”
Jason moved, holding the door for Dick to come outside and join him. Dick hesitated but he came outside and watched Jason shut the door, instantly regretting his decision. There was silence between them before Jason finally cleared his throat.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was here partially for work.”
“You didn’t plan to hang out with me, so you didn’t owe me anything.”
Jason frowned, turning Dick to face him. Dick didn’t meet his eyes, he just started down at his feet shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants and bunching his shoulders up against the cold.
“I screwed up,” Jason said. “Not telling you, coming back here and thinking I wouldn’t have feelings for you all over again. For not staying here with you in the first place. I haven’t been happy in years and I realize now it was because everything that made me happy was here. My friends, this place, and you.”
“Jason..” Dick interjected.
“No, let me finish.” Jason pleaded. “I should have been honest with you. And the deal is dead. Bruce knew the whole time what Slade was doing.”
Dick swallowed. “Okay, so you can go home.”
Jason frowned, this wasn’t working the way he wanted to. He wanted Dick to listen to him, to understand and accept that he’d never meant to hurt him again. That he wasn’t going to hurt him again. He wanted to explain that he was going to stay.
“I’m not going home,” Jason said. “I’m staying in Gotham. I’m helping Clark and Bruce franchise the farm.”
“You’re… what?” Dick asked, surprised.
“I’m staying here. I might have to travel some for setting up franchises but I will home base here in Gotham. I’m taking the job offer Bruce gave me.”
There was silence again while Dick registered what Jason told him, before he finally smiled. He leaned in wrapping his arms around Jason’s neck in a hug.
“You’re staying!” Dick chirped. “That’s great!”
“I’m staying because I want to be with you. I love you.” Jason replied.
Dick pulled back to look Jason in the eyes, his own filling with tears. Jason leaned in and kissed him, pulling Dick closer as he did. Dick returned the kiss and neither of them notice that it started to snow.
The End