Chapter Text
“I call bullshit.”
Dick’s grin grows wider. Confident. Smug. Already victorious.
“Wanna bet?”
Jason and Tim both share a look, a silent conversation passing through that ends with Jason arching an eyebrow and Tim’s eyes narrowing.
Dick recognizes those looks. Mischievousness and curiosity, respectively.
Dick takes both looks as a permission to deliver the blow that will smack them both in the face. Figuratively speaking, of course.
He holds his hand to them, one finger up to keep them quiet and still. Without really turning his body, Dick calls out for their youngest, voice jovial.
It doesn’t take long before Damian appears around the corner, one of his mangas on his hand with one of his fingers stuck in-between pages.
“You better be in immediate danger, Richard. I was reading,” he says, arching a judgy eyebrow at the sight of the extra people present before he turns to Dick. “What is it?”
“Sorry I pulled you away from your reading, kiddo,” Dick says, genuinely apologetic. “I just wanted to tell you something.”
“Alright,” Damian says, eyebrows slightly furrowed in concern.
Dick easily brushes any dark scenarios that are probably already flashing through the boy’s mind with a smile and a soft but vehement, “I love you.”
Damian merely blinks, eyebrows slightly shot up in surprise and slight besument. It’s barely a second before his expression shifts and then a smile makes an appearance.
And what a sight it is.
Dick’s barely able to hold himself back from stroking the edge where it ends on one of his cheeks. It’s tempting but with both Jason and Tim so near, he doesn’t want Damian to recoil.
It’s already a blessing that he allows them to be in the same room as he is shown affection.
“I’m well aware of that, Richard,” he says, voice soft and almost amused. The smile stays for another second before disappearing behind a frown as soon as Dick loses the fight against himself and sloppily kisses the side of his head. He pushes Dick’s face away, nose scrunched up in disgust. “Richard! Ugh, honestly , you are worse than Titus and he’s a dog .”
“Unfortunately, drooly kisses are part of the deal, buddy.”
Damian rolls his eyes before effectively pushing Dick’s face away with one last half-hearted shove.
Dick lets him go with a laugh. “Go back to your manga, kiddo. Thank you for coming.”
Damian grunts, mumbling something to himself under his breath that none of them really even try to catch as he walks away.
Dick turns just in time to see both Jason and Tim still staring in disbelief, jaws hanging open as they watch the retreating figure of their little brother disappear right from where he came from.
Neither of them want to turn to catch the smugness on Dick’s face he knows he’s wearing.
“I wanna do that,” Jason says suddenly, eyebrows furrowed together in concentration. He looks surprised by his own words for a split of a second before he reconsiders and nods to himself. “Yeah, I’m doing that.”
Tim turns to him. “Smile?” he asks, bemused.
Jason smacks the side of Tim's face with the back of his hand. “No, dumbass.” He huffs, hissing through his teeth when Tim punches him with vengeance in the arm. “Ah, fucker - and no, I meant the Demon.”
“You want to make Damian smile ?” Tim asks, looking incredulous, even more so than when Damian smiled. Dick steps a little closer to him in case he goes into shock.
Jason’s lips turn into a sharp smirk, eyes narrowed. “Oh, yeah ,” he says quietly, the mischievousness from before making a comeback.
“Damian smiles, guys, it’s nothing new.” Dick shrugs when both brothers turn to him. “What? He does. He has smiled at you two morons before.”
“Yeah, but not like that ,” Jason argues. “That was a completely different smile. And I’m going to get one.”
Dick rolls his eyes. “Yes, he has . To both of you. To everyone in the family.”
Jason scoffs. “I think I would have noticed if the Spawn ever smiled at me like that .”
“Dude, he has.”
“Why do you want him to, though?” Tim cuts in, completely baffled.
Jason shrugs. “If Dick can get him to do it, so can I.”
“I think you’re missing a few vital variables in that equation.”
“If Dick can do it, so can I.”
“Oh my god,” Tim mumbles, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Fine, get stabbed. I don’t care.”
If possible, Jason’s smirk grows sharper.
“Oh?” he mumbles, crossing his arms with a smirk. “Wanna bet on that?”
Like a true Wayne in everything but blood, Tim freezes and slowly turns to meet Jason’s challenge with a narrowed glare. Dick’s got to admit, he’s quite honestly enjoying the show.
“Do I want to bet if you get stabbed when whatever you have planned to make Damian smile will, certainly, get you stabbed?” Tim asks, voice monotone.
Jason nods, chin held up high with pride as if he had already won. “ Yah .”
Tim blinks. Once. Twice.
By the third blink, his smirk matches Jason’s perfectly.
“You’re on.”
“Wanna make it more interesting?” Jason asks, his hand already hovering near Tim’s extended one, ready to seal the deal. When Tim shrugs, Jason continues, “Jump in. Whoever gets stabbed in their attempt loses.”
Tim purses his lips for a moment before he shrugs.
“Eh, wouldn’t be too different from a regular Thursday.”
“Atta boy.”
"Guys, I'm all for friendly competition and ridiculous bonding excuses, but just be kind, okay?" Dick says, knowing deep down his brothers didn't need to be told of this but his instinct of protecting his Robin from the world urging him to say it either way. "I just ask you to not say something you don't mean. Not to Damian. He doesn't deserve that."
Both of his brothers hold his gaze for a few seconds, understanding clear in their eyes.
And because they are bats and emotionally constipated, both Jason and Tim scoff right after.
"Yeah, yeah. Don't scar even more the already affection starved kid, we know." Jason says, adding a lazy wave of his hand to add to his nochantl pretense. "Relax, Big Bird.”
Dick just limits himself to shake his head. And remind them that he’s in the lead on their first bet.
Jason is a patient guy.
Most of the time.
Sometimes.
He’s not.
Which is exactly why he strikes exactly two days after Dick had delivered his blow, earning him the first win. Yeah, well, Jason’s aching to shove that win up his ass with his own win.
Which he will get.
Tonight.
Either a win or a stab, but Jason’s is walking away tonight with something .
He made sure to look and sound both indifferent and nonchalantly when he asked to be partnered with Robin earlier in the night before patrol. Both Tim and Dick had sent him a knowing look which he had brushed off with a quick flip of his finger behind Bruce’s back.
Bruce, for his part, had looked at him oddly, the smallest tilt of his head showing his curiosity that had yet to turn into suspicion. His plan had moved into motion the moment Bruce had turned to Damian, asking for his input.
Surprisingly, the kid had limited himself to shrug as agreement before saying something about Jason ‘ not being in his way ’.
Now, as their patrol is nearly over, Jason is finally blessed with the perfect opening.
They are both watching from the rooftop of an apartment building as the police gather up the group of burglars Robin and Red Hood had left for them wrapped like a gift on the stret’s lamp post. It's silent besides the police sirens and the muffled chattering of the civilians below them.
Red Hood delivers his blow as the last burglar is shoved inside the police car.
He crouches next to the kid, elbows on his thighs to balance himself. Robin doesn’t turn to him, at least not until he calls out to him.
“Hey, Little Man,” he says, doing an effort to keep his voice friendly. He’s canalizing his inner Dick Grayson. He pulls his helmet off, oddly heavy and in the way.
And - oh, wow, Jason suddenly feels nervous. He wets his lips before he clears his throat and, not letting himself dwell on it, says, “I don’t say it a lot, but I love you.”
Robin doesn’t react. He doesn’t even blink, at least Red Hood doesn’t think so but then again it’s hard to see behind the lens of his Robin mask.
Well, now he feels self-conscious.
He’s still hopeful, though.
He’s well rewarded by his hope when he sees the smallest twitch on the kid’s mouth, barely visible but it’s there and - oh, Jason’s so close . Should he repeat it? He feels suddenly empowered.
And warm. The hell?
Whatever. Roll with it.
‘You can do this,’ Jason tells himself inside his head. ‘This is your family. This is your little brother. It’s a win-win, bitch. Do it.’
And he does.
“I love you,” he repeats, allowing his own smile to grow on his lips in hopes it will encourage Damian’s to do the same.
It seems to work because Robin’s tight line is slightly turning up as he turns to face him properly. A heartbeat passes between then and then Robin leans closer, arms suddenly held out and Jason is baffled.
Is the kid going to hug him? Holy shit, is this going to earn him extra points?
More importantly, though; will it be nice? Robin is still small compared to him. He can’t help but wonder how his brother will feel wrapped around his arms.
Will he be soft? Warm? Does he grips the back of shirts or capes tightly like Jason used to do when he was a kid?
Wow, Jason’s quite embarrassed to admit, even to himself, but he’s genuinely excited to find out.
Which is exactly why he doesn’t. Because life likes to fuck with Jason Motherfucking Todd.
Red Hood lets out a sharp cry, more out of surprise than pain, when his right arm is twisted behind his back on a smooth move. Robin hisses at him angrily from above, the twitch on his lips turned into a sneer.
“Silence, Imposter,” Robin spats, twisting the arm harder as he forces Jason to the ground. “This is Robin to the Colony, I have a situation.”
“The fuck? ” Jason hisses, grunting when his face is shoved into the ground. The curses he snaps at the kid are barely muffled.
“Report,” Batman’s voice comes through both of their comms.
Since Jason’s is currently incapable of responding, both physically and mentally since he doesn’t know what the fuck is going on, Robin takes it upon himself to answer. Like he was going to, either way.
The little entitled shit .
“Red Hood has been compromised. I suspect mind-control or identity theft with high tech,” Robin says, smoothly rearranging himself to immobilize Jason when he moves. The flat part of a blade presses itself on his cheek as warning.
Jason stops moving then. He huffs, but stops moving.
What the fuck ever.
He’s embarrassed enough, he’s going to let the rest of his batshit crazy family clear this up.
But when two distinguishable laughs echo on the comm, Jason curses himself for putting so much faith in his dumbass family.
Batman just grunts. “I’m on my way,” he says and if he’s bemused by the entire situation, he doesn’t show it. As always.
Jason groans against the ground. His nose is starting to hurt.
“This is the last time I express emotion,” Jason grunts, done with life once again.
He hears Robin scoff above him.
“Your acting skills were, unfortunately, impeccable,” Robin grumbles before his grip tightens and his voice turns sharper, “but it was indeed your willingness to express affection that ultimately gave you away.”
Now, that’s oddly sad. Does Jason really doesn’t show affection?
Does his family doesn’t really know he loves them? Does Damian know?
“Kid -”
“Now, I’m only going to ask you once,” Robin cuts him off harshly, speaking over him. “What have you done with my broth - my teammate ?”
Ah, no, no. No takes back.
Jason caught that. He caught the slip .
What a good slip.
“ Nothing ,” he hisses, sounding more tired and annoyed than in pain. “Kid, it’s me .”
“Slander,” Robin snarls, leaning down. Jason can barely catch his profile from the corner of his eye.
Huffing a sigh, Jason rolls his eyes and brings out his big guns.
“Would an imposter know that you visit animal shelters thrice a month?”
“With enough stalking.”
“Will they know that one time you got sucked into one of Goliath’s nostrils during his first and last attempt of a shower in the batcave ?”
Silence. Jason’s heart beats annoyingly hard on his ear for a few more seconds before the weight above him is lifted and there’s no more blade pressed against any part of his skin.
“Is this a pit episode?” Robin asks as soon as Jason pulls himself together, grumbling and cursing all the way up. “ Hood, is this a weird-non-examined pit episode? ”
Jason scoffs. “No, it’s not a fucking pit episode.”
Robin narrows his eyes, not convinced. “Are you certain?”
“Yes, I’m fucking certain,” Jason snaps, rolling his eyes. “Seriously, what do I have to do -?”
Be stabbed. That’s what Jason had to do.
It barely does any damage, the blade itself meant to main but not kill. It’s also not even that deep into his bicep, snuggled somewhere he knows no main arteries are located.
But it hurts like a bitch . And Jason’s so fucking annoyed now.
“Hijo de tu puta madre!” He hollers, doubling over as he works through the hot pain spreading over his right arm and shoulder. More curses leave his mouth, some which he doesn’t even care to filter. He’s on a roll. And that seems to be proof enough for the demon he calls brother.
“Further investigation may be required but it seems you are, unfortunately, yourself, Hood.” Robin says, standing a few feet away from him, both hands on his hips. Satisfied with his discovery. “You’re welcome.”
Oh, Jason snaps .
“That’s it!” Jason screams at the same time Batman lands on the other side of the rooftop. “ Now it’s a fucking pit episode.”
Alfred makes them hug it out.
“Don’t stab me,” Jason snaps, narrowing his eyes as warning as he shoves a finger up to the kid’s face when he’s near enough.
Damian scoffs, mask off but his uniform still on, even when it had been a while since they all had arrived from patrol.
“Don’t make me stab you, then.”
“You little shit -”
Alfred clears his throat, leveling them both with a pointed look. He nods, pleased, when both Jason and Damian relax their defensive postures.
“Before dawn breaks, if you please, young masters.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jason sighs, waving a hand in the air with his un-stabbed arm before he opens it wide. “Alright, kid, get in here. I want to take a nap.”
Damian scoffs but still does, moves slightly sluggish and slow. Jason hums to himself as he watches him, an eyebrow barely arched.
When Damian all but slumps against him, Jason blinks in astonishment, throwing a wild and confused look at both Alfred and Bruce who were the only ones remaining in the cave.
Alfred merely nods his head while Bruce’s gaze softens ever so slightly before he turns back to the batcomputer.
And Jason is left alone with his menace of a little brother.
“Um,” he mumbles, smacking his lips together. He doesn’t know what to do, since he honestly expected the little demon to be stiff as a board.
Except he’s not and Jason wraps his good arm around his shoulder to keep him up and steady, adding two awkward pats on his back because he’s channeling his inner Tim Drake for some reason.
Damian leans into the hug for the briefest heartbeat before he pulls back and clears his throat.
“I apologize for the stab wound,” he says, a guilty edge on his tired and slightly red rimmed eyes. The kid looks, and probably is, exhausted and yet…
Jason clicks his tongue and crouches to meet the kid’s eyes.
“Nah, it was my own doing ultimately, really,” he says, dumbly shrugging with his bad arm. He winces at the light but hot pain that spikes from the action.
Then a bare slim hand sets itself gently on top of his bandages, right on top where the wound still rages hotly. Jason blinks, confused until he feels it.
It’s faint, extremely so, but it’s there. Damian’s fingers are cold, the contrast of their temperature colliding with the wound’s rage briefly before it soothes it.
Not by a lot. It honestly doesn’t do much.
But the words behind the action are so loud .
Jason’s stomach drops as the night’s events flash through his mind.
Does Damian know?
“Hey, kid, do you really think I don’t…,” he trails off, throat suddenly dry. Unsure how to continue, he finishes with a lame, “ you know .”
Damian, for his part, catches his drift and looks utterly bewildered at the suggestion.
“Of course not,” he answers slowly, eyeing Jason carefully. “It was merely desconcertaining, I suppose, since it was a far cry from your usual display.”
Jason frowns, confused. “My usual display?”
Damian frowns back at him, head tilted to the side as he considers him. It’s not long before he rolls his eyes and clicks his tongue.
“I’m hardly your therapist, Todd,” he says, taking a step back before he turns towards the lockers, throwing a quick ‘good night' to both Alfred and Bruce behind him.
Jason pouts and falls on his butt on purpose, ignoring Alfred’s disapproving sigh.
What the hell did that even mean?
Two weeks later, Jason eventually gets it.
“Hey, Tater-tot,” he says as he barges into the library, barely holding himself back from kicking the door open for his entrance. Alfred always gets rightfully moody whenever he finds any of their foot prints on doors or walls alike. “Remember my neighbour's pregnant dog I told you about?”
“Of course,” Damian replies with a nod, eyes not leaving the book on his lap. A thought seems to cross his mind, making him meet Jason's gaze across the room. “Why? Is she alright? Did they not get the supplies? Pennyworth reassured me the package had everything they might need pre and post labour.”
Ah, so that was what his neighbour had meant when she told him ‘your brother was an honest blessing’ when he talked to her this morning.
Damn, this kid and his heart .
Jason is quick to wave his worries off. “Nah, kid,” he says, smiling wide. “I just found out she went into labour a couple of weeks ago, actually. She gave birth to six healthy puppies.”
Damian’s shoulders immediately relax at the news. “Oh, that’s good to hear.”
Jason nods. “Obviously. Now, get off your butt. We need to leave before traffic hits us.”
Damian tilts his head, confused. “What? Go where?”
“To my neighbour’s, duh .” Jason chuckles. “What? You think I came all the way here just to flip Bruce off and steal some of Alfred’s cookies?”
He did both things, of course. But neither had been his main target.
And Damian seems to catch on that, because he perks up almost brightly.
“Oh,” he mumbles. And smiles .
May the universe have mercy on them all but Dick was right .
Heck, Damian had been right too.
Jason finally hears his own message loud and clear.
I love you, didn’t you know?
And, more importantly, he sees it when his brother hears it as well.
Duh. Damian’s soft smile says as he tells Jason how to properly hold one of the one-month-old puppies. Of course I know.