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It was past 1pm and everyone is already eating a piece of Damian’s birthday cake, happily munching on the dessert and talking amongst themselves. Babs wheeled towards Tim, “What’s taking her?”
Tim rubbed the back of his head, unsure how to respond. “Steph didn’t text me-”
As if on cue, the door opened and a certain preppy blonde came skipping in the room with a wrapped box in hand.
“I have arrived~” Stephanie sang. “Make way for the birthday boy’s favorite person!”
“I can assure you, Brown,” Damian crossed his arms on his chest. “Your late attendance today is noted. Any favorite person of mines is not tardy to such events.”
Dick let out a happy hum at what Damian stated, feeling proud of himself at the assumption (although he’s not wrong, not that Damian will admit favoritism among the family) of being included in Damian’s list of favorite people. But the relaxed expression on the young boy’s face is enough of an indication for Steph to know that Damian’s in a good mood. And she’s glad that he’s happily playing with the cute little brown pup Cass and Bruce adopted for him.
“Allow me to offer my birthday slash apology gift. A little birdie told me that you have a new friend today,” Steph kneeled beside the pup to scratch his chin. “So I brought a gift that’ll go with him.”
She handed Damian the box and he carefully tear the wrapper, taking off the lid, the boy smiled. “A collar. You have chosen a fine choice with the leather.”
The leather is sturdy and a nice shade of dark olive green. Damian thumbed the circular metal tag, noticing that it’s blank.
Stephanie lightly ruffled his hair. “I’m sorry I was late, D. Got caught in a little traffic on the way over. Tell you what, I’ll make it up to you. We can go to the pet shop to have the tag customized.”
Damian nodded. “The offer is acceptable; I propose we leave before patrol tomorrow night.”
“Does he have a name yet?”
“I gave him a name that is fit and matching with his owner of course,” Damian proudly shared. “Brown, meet Murder King.”
Babs exasperatedly sighed, “I thought we established that ‘Murder King’ is an inappropriate name to give the dog.”
“You’re right.” Stephanie nodded.
Damian looked at the blonde quizzically, “She is?”
“Yup, Murder King doesn’t feel like a good fit if you want it to match. We can think of something better… hmm,” Stephanie contemplated and quickly snapped after an idea popped in. “Emperor Murder!”
Damian grinned at Steph’s suggestion.
“That is better.” “No!” Damian and Babs’ voice overlapped.
Cass giggled and Jason cackled. “Nice one, blondie,” he raised his beer in mock salute. “Emperor does sound better than king.”
“Or maybe Emperor Slaughter!” Steph followed up to which Babs came in and shooed her from the birthday boy.
Babs started doing what she can to persuade Damian to pick a name that doesn’t include ‘murder’ or ‘slaughter’ in it. Steph left them to it and went over to Cass and Jason.
Jason put down his beer and regarded Stephanie, “I’m a birdie, huh?”
“If the Robin panties match,” a quick poke on Jason’s arm, “then yes.”
“Ow.” Jason put a hand on his abdomen. Even if he was faking being hurt, he’s glad he’s behind that unfortunate costume now.
“Low blow, such a low blow.” He stated quietly as if he ran out of breath from such a betrayal.
Stephanie giggled at his antics. “But anyways, thanks for letting me in on the gift.” And then Steph pointedly looked at Cass. “Someone was too tight lipped about it.”
Cass shook her head, “Not tight enough. Surprise… need to keep secret.”
Jason shrugged. “Technically she didn’t say anything, I just got good timing.”
“Still,” Steph insisted. “It was nice of you to let me know. I kinda feel a bit bad for using the insider information.”
“Nah.”
“I’m serious.”
“I just lent yah some cash. You chose the actual collar which is good enough for the kid.” She didn’t have a lot of cash when she went to her last-minute stop at the pet shop earlier, so it was a good thing that Jason sent her some through her bank account.
Stephanie pouted. “But still.”
Jason leaned to Steph and lowered his voice so that no one else can hear. “Don’t feel so guilty, blondie. I needed you to buy a good gift to compensate for the dynamite I gave the kid.”
Stephanie scoffed in half-wonder and half-judgment.
“A dynamite? Seriously?” she asked incredulously.
“What?” Jason raised his arms up defensively. “It’s the only thing in my stash I’m willing to let go.”
After a beat, Jason added, “And I’m not giving Damian a gun. Or any of my swords for that matter.”
The blonde nodded in agreement, mostly with ‘not giving Damian a gun’ part. “I did see a long rectangle box that can fit a sword by the table already.” Must be from Talia.
“And I think there was a rope whip thing too.” That one’s definitely from Selina.
“Hey, Steph,” Tim walked over with a plate of cake in hand. “Got you a slice.”
“Ohhh thanks, Tim.” Steph gratefully took the plate from Tim. It was a good thing he saved her a slice cause there was very little chance she would have gotten any cake since she came in late. The pair moved over to the couch to eat. Leaving back Cass and Jason on their own.
“How’d you know about the puppy?” Tim asked Steph.
In the middle of chewing her food she responded, “Jason told me.”
“He didn’t know about the puppy,” Tim took a quick bite and added. “I didn’t know about the puppy.”
“Jason said something about ‘good timing’,” Steph shrugged. “Probably caught them with the little guy on the way over.”
“That does make more sense. I think he would have put more effort if he knew what Bruce and Cass got for him. He did give Damian a dynamite.”
Stephanie lightly choked on her cake as she tried to control her laugh. “I thought he was kidding.”
Tim and Steph laughed and finish their cake, they tell each other about their day in between bites.
By the other side, Jason’s leg is subtly shanking. He didn’t realize that he was restless until Cass lightly nudged his arm and told him herself. “You feel restless.”
He looked down and became conscious, he willed his leg to stop and grumbled a sorry.
“It’s okay,” Cass then pointed to herself. “Gets jealous sometimes too.”
“I don’t get je-” Jason chose not to finish his statement when Cass gave him a mild glare that says seriously?
Cass swiftly tilted her head to point at Steph and Tim’s direction to hint what she was referring to.
He was quiet for a moment. Cass meant that he’s restless, jealous, because of Tim. And it dawns on him. Tim can openly and easily be around Steph. With the rest of the family around. But Jason, now realizing it, never really let himself be her friend around the others.
He took in a sharp breath and begins to harshly stomp on the bitterness that’s suddenly growing in him. Stupid, stupid, stupid feelings. “He’s her best friend.” And I’m not.
Cass furrowed her eyebrows at him, as if she has been offended, and patted her chest, “Me too.”
Jason let out a soft fond mmhmm. “Yeah, you too.”
She didn’t fully feel the fondness in his tone, despite his effort to make it sound as so. She frowned at him.
“And you.” She quietly urged, willing herself to sound as sure as she feels.
He knows, he can sense, that she’s attempting to help him feel better. Jason shook his head and tiredly sighed, “Nah. I’m not.”
Cause if he is, he’d be more like Tim and Cass. More open and casual and noticeable about it. He’s suddenly more acutely aware that their friendship has a sense of… reluctance. He can’t recall interacting with Steph around the others until today. Jason’s convinced that Bruce doesn’t even know he and Steph talk.
A clinking sound snapped Jason’s train of thought.
Damian did one last clink with his fork against his champagne glass (it has iced tea in it as fake champagne) to get everyone’s attention. “Now that I have gotten everyone’s attention,” Damian cleared his throat. “I would like to say that I appreciate all of your efforts.”
Dick and Steph cooed in unison, to which Babs shushed Dick with her index finger on his lips considering that he was the louder one. Tim merely chuckled at Stephanie’s reaction.
“Even if this suit is not the most comfortable thing, and the hats are ridiculous, and wrapping the gifts are a waste when you all could have directly given me the object directly,” Damian was about to add two more things but saw Dick’s pout, so he decided against it. He sighed as he tugged on his tie, and a small smile crept in his face, “I have grown to believe that these traditions are not so… stupid, as I have initially thought.”
Dick sniffed, “I think this is the best birthday I have ever helped set up.”
Barbara shook her head in amusement and handed Dick a tissue.
Damian shook his head at Dick’s small declaration. “Moving on,” he picked up his puppy. “I shall now retreat to engage in a game of fetch with Emperor Slaughter.”
It was now Dick’s turn to console Babs, patting her back as he felt her quietly whine about the name choice for such an innocent puppy.
“Do not let my absence pause the celebration, proceed with the socialization and eating of Alfred’s good cooking.” Damian ended as he carried his puppy to the direction of the manor’s garden. Tugging on Bruce’s jacket sleeve as a quiet invitation for his father to join him. The older man smiled and wrapped an arm around his son’s shoulders as they made their way out.
“At least Damian is warming up on the concept of birthday parties.” Stephanie happily chirped to the rest of them. Jason sloshed his beer pretending not to be too interested in what she’s saying. But alright, seeing her smile, even if it’s not just for him, is already lightening up his mood.
“One less thing the kid finds stupid,” she winks at them. “Even if he won’t completely admit it.”