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“Hey Jason.” Dick started, the pair stood before the headstone, Tim clutching onto Dick’s arm, silent and trying not to stare at the ghost that sat on top of the stone, who gave Tim a questioning glance before turning to Dick and his address.
“I’m sorry I haven’t visited in a while, Little Wing, but I brought a surprise.” Dick continued and Tim maintained his stare at the grass, too scared to catch Jason’s eye and give away that he could see the former Robin. Jason took the moment of silence as his queue to begin his ghostly rant.
“What the hell Dickie, you don’t visit for weeks and now you’re dragging ‘round a kid?” Jason asked, knowing not to expect an answer.
“Anyway, this is Tim, he’s our little brother!” Dick seemed excited, but all Tim could do was swallow his nerves, keep his eyes down and manage a tiny mumble of greeting to the middle child.
“Hi Jason.”
“Oh hell no he’s got Bruce’s posh Bristol accent. Did he kidnap a rich kid?” Jason snorted and Dick offered Tim a small smile.
“He lives next door, well he used to, he lives with us in the Manor except when his parents are in the country. They suck, Jason. Uh- no offence Timmy.”
“None taken.” Tim mumbled, still clinging to the eldests arm, trying with all his might not to look up at Jason who’d swung down from his perch atop of his grave to instead lean against the rock, giving Tim a curious look.
“And, well…” Dick trailed, unsure how to broach the subject. “Bruce is training him to be Robin.” Dick finally finished his sentence, the pause of silence was present both in the living and the dead. Tim took the stretch of nothingness to give a quick glance up, worried that Jason had moved on from the words. That was what happened sometimes, ghosts only lingered to resolve things after their deaths and maybe knowing Bruce had someone watching his back was all Jason needed? Tim was wrong. When he glanced up, Jason looked furious. Could ghosts even look furious?
“The fuck?” Jason finally coughed out, but his anger and glare was all at Dick, he didn’t spare a glance at Tim who was grateful because he didn’t think he could drag his eyes away from Jason even if he wanted to.
“Are you actually stupid? Did Bruce knock his brains loose in his last fight with Croc? You can’t send this kid out, he looks about 8! You can’t let another kid die. No more dead Robins! Dick you actual moron, how are you allowing this?” Jason snarled, fists clenched and eyebrows furrowed. Dick was silent still though, missing all of the rant because of course, people didn’t see ghosts. Except Tim. Who was still trying to pretend he wasn’t privy to Jason’s angry rant.
“I- I hope you’re ok with that Jason. I know we didn’t get along great, I should have- I was angry at Bruce and- I let it get between us. But… I- I’m glad Tim wanted to continue your legacy- He, uh, he really admired you. More than me. Guess you’re his favourite brother.” Dick looked uneasy, unsure of what to say, occasionally giving Tim questioning glances.
“Yeah- sorry Jason, I didn’t mean to steal Robin- Just- Bruce was… I think-” Tim cut off. How was he meant to tell Jason that their father was trying to get himself killed every time he went out as the Bats.
“I think he was trying to get himself killed.” Dick finished, taking mercy on their littlest brother.
“Yeah.” Tim quietly added. Jason went silent, his angry background rant that Tim was trying to zone out of stopped.
“Okay, first off, how dare you adopt an adorable child, shut up. I.. guess he’s cool, he can stay, but still, Bruce is an adult, he shouldn’t need a child watching his back.” Jason sighed and Tim had to bury his smile into Dick’s arm, grateful and embarrassed Jason thought he was worthy to be part of the family.
“I’m trying to look after him, but I can’t be Robin anymore, I can’t go back to that, we’d be at each other's throats, and he needs Robin, not Nightwing.” Dick explained. “I wish you were still here Jaybird.”
“Yeah don’t I know it. You two argued like an old married couple, I wasn’t sure if I had to start calling you Mom.” Jason teased and Tim couldn’t stop the laugh that burst from his lips.
Oh no.
Jason and Dick both turned to Tim, who, after his small laugh, had plastered both hands over his mouth, turned bright red and his eyes widened.
“Oh my god I’m so sorry- I- I wasn’t laughing at you Dick, it’s Jason’s fault- uh- no wait- I didn’t mean that-” Tim fumbled and tried not to look at Jason who was howling, laughing loud with adorable little wheezes mixed in as Dick only stared in horror.
“Lordy, Baby Bird, you broke him! That was beautiful.” Jason snorted and Tim glared at Jason, forgetting his power was meant to be a secret.
“Well I wouldn’t have if you didn’t make me imagine Dick as my Mom!” Tim snapped back.
“What-” Jason frowned, laughter ceased immediately.
“What?” Dick whispered, the first word he’d spoken in his shock and horror.
“No- okay, no I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to- uh- so-”
“Wait, you can see me. You can hear me. You little shit, why didn’t you say something?” Jason got closer, waving a hand in Tim’s face, glee springing onto his features when Tim flinched, proof he needed to confirm their youngest sibling could see him. Dick was still frozen, face slack and confusion radiating from him.
“I’m sorry- I wasn’t meant to tell anyone- And you- You kept saying things and I-” Tim stumbled over his words, unaware at the blue radiating from his palms, and Dick’s eyes wavering from Tim to Jason, going even wider, a small gasp forcing its way from his throat.
“Jason? Jaybird, is that- I- I’m so sorry-” Dick wailed, one hand reaching for his brother instantly, watching as Jason flinched, eyes flicking to Tim.
“What the hell did you do?” Jason asked, voice suddenly scared and Tim startled, eyes drawn down to his blue-lit palms.
“Oh- I- I accidentally manifested you.” Tim spluttered.
“Tim? You can see ghosts?” Dick questioned, the youngest’s words redirected his attention back to Tim who winced.
“Maybe?” Tim admitted, suddenly feeling guilty he hadn’t offered to come with Dick earlier, to speak to Jason properly like he knew his eldest brother yearned to do.
“Little Wing, I’m so sorry, I was off-world and- I- I should have been there, it should have been me!” Dick wailed, finally turning back to Jason, dragging him into a hug, both only surprised for a second that it actually worked before the pair were sobbing into each others arms, Jason highlighted in the same blue light as Tim’s hands which twitched and trembled. Tim kept his mouth shut though, not wanting to ruin the moment.
“Its not your fault Dickie- I was stupid, I shouldn’t have- I-” Jason couldn’t speak, his words caught in his throat as tears spilled from his eyes. Tim didn’t know ghosts could cry. Most of the ghosts he saw were catatonic or angry, not sad.
“It’s- I shouldn’t have let Bruce let you be Robin- I knew it was dangerous, I- I wish I could have kept you safe-”
“No way, Dick, I wouldn’t refuse Robin even if I was brought back to life tomorrow.” Jason snapped back. Tim felt his legs buckle, knees hitting the grass, his struggle unnoticed as the two boys continued to clutch each other tightly.
“But- You-”
“No, Big Bird, you might think you’d be keeping me safe, but what about Gotham, what about the people that need us? The people we help? Is my life really worth the hundreds, the thousands, we protect and help?” Jason argued and Dick squeezed his eyes shut.
“Yes. To me.” Dick whispered, Jason froze in his arms.
“You- You fucking sap, Dickie.” Jason sobbed.
“You and Tim, you’re both worth the world to me.”
Tim really hated to interrupt but the whine that broke out of his throat without warning did so anyway.
Both of his brothers turned to look at him.
“Oh shit Tim, Tim are you okay?” Instantly both brothers were in front of him, Dick squatted on his knees to take Tim’s face in his hands, tilting his head back to catch Tim’s eyes. Jason hunched over behind Dick, watching with concern.
“So-Sorry- wanted to give you longer.” Tim choked out, light on his hands blinking, the blue unsteady and fading. Jason gave a sad smile.
“It’s okay Timbo, let go, please.”
“No-No Dick really needs this- I’m okay-” Tim argued, vaguely away of something wet on his face.
“Tim you’re bleeding, please let go.” Jason urged, one blue hand reaching out to wipe away the blood from Tim’s nose.
“It’s okay, Tim, this was more than enough.” Dick whispered, wrapping Tim into his arms, shooting Jason one final fond look before Tim collapsed against Dick’s chest, blue vanishing from his hands, breath unsteady, eyes watery.
“You’re okay, Tim, breathe.” Dick spoke softly, rubbing circles onto Tim’s back as the youngest brother sobbed, exhaustion taking over, blurry eyes able to make out Jason’s smile over Dick’s shoulder, no longer blue.
“Thanks for that Baby Bird, you’ll make a great Robin, just don’t die and tell Bruce he better look after you, for me.” And with that, Jason was gone, faded from the living world. He’d moved on. It was Tim’s fault. If he hadn’t let Dick see him, maybe Jason could have stuck around longer, and Tim could have relayed things between them and- they’d have had longer-
“Tim, you gave me more than enough, more than I ever hoped I could have. Thank you so much.” Dick replied, Tim only then realized he’d been speaking out loud.
“I should have held on longer.” Tim scolded himself, feeling Dick shake his head, pulling back to instead of hugging the boy, pick him up into his arms.
“Nonsense. Tim, you’re amazing, you gave me so much.”
Dick hoisted Tim up to a more comfortable carrying position, the youngest was small for his age and fit nicely on Dick’s hip as the vigilante held onto the boy with one arm, the other gently taking one of Tim’s arms, giving it a squeeze of reassurance before rubbing circles on his palm, soothing and distracting. Tim let his head rest onto Dick’s shoulder and be carried back to the manor, exhaustion well and truly taking over, drifting into a sleep he hadn’t known he’d needed. Manifesting ghosts took a lot out of him and that was way longer than he’d ever done, usually it was seconds before his control slipped. He’d been glad in a way that Jason got longer than that, but he’d still wished he could have given his brothers more time.
“You did good Tim, don’t worry Baby Bird, sleep now.” Dick murmured and that was the last Tim heard, lulled to sleep in the safety of his eldest brother's arms, soothed by the knowledge Jason wouldn’t hate him for stealing Robin.