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Bruce grimaced the best he could for the third time in the space of only a few short minutes. Jason smirked from behind his glass which he'd raised to disguise his utter joy at watching Bruce struggle.
"Enjoying that, Old Man?" Jason asked with glee as Bruce was forced to drink his soup with a straw.
Jason had broken his Jaw just under a week ago and had been coming over nearly every dinnertime, not only to offer to make everyone's food, but to make Bruce's soup. Alfred was grateful for the time off, for the opportunity to spend time with Jason and just generally to have the young man in the Manor once more. Dick was coming over for meals more, Tim even made a point of coming over rather than staying home alone in his big empty house. The youngest mostly spent his time staring in unrestrained awe at Jason. Jason pretended not to notice. It was a little unnerving, considering at one time Jason had planned on beating the kid senseless. He’d changed that plan as soon as he’d laid eyes on the kid, who was tiny for his age and seemed in dire need of any and all forms of contact, be it just a simple conversation or a cuddle. The latter he wormed from Dick.
The best part of Jason making dinner though was making Bruce's soup. The petty teenager (was he still a teenager? Did they count the time he was dead as part of his age?) always made flavours and concoctions he knew Bruce wouldn't enjoy but would be forced to eat. Alfred had a strict no waste rule. It brought him great joy to mix in leaks into every combo, be it a simple potato and leek or a vichyssoise. Bruce didn’t like leeks.
This was way better revenge than any elaborate dramatic plan involving the Joker. Watching Bruce suffer, eat with a straw and a broken Jaw, and be denied the physical affections of his boyfriend? Perfect. Especially when Jason actually spent some time with Bruce's boyfriend. The man actually got along well with Jason and it was like a disaster duo team up that had Bruce fearful. Hal had already declared a no kissing rule once Bruce’s jaw had been set and wrapped in a securing bandage, and Bruce couldn’t particularly pout but he made a good impression of one with his eyes. Who knew? Bruce Wayne, a sap. Things certainly had changed while Jason was dead.
"So, Hal, how was your day?" Jason asked, smugly, when Bruce continued to glare at Jason, sucking up his food slowly with a twitching nose. Jason tried not to look while eating in fear he'd choke.
"Oh, yeah it was okay, work was.. There wasn’t much to do, went by pretty quick." Hal answered, taking a bite of this food, giving am appreciative hum.
"That's good. And you have the weekend off?" Jason furthered and earned a nod.
"Yep. I do. It's a nice change." Hal smiled and took another bite of the fish dish Jason had made them all.
"This is so nice, Little Wing, you've really outdone yourself today." Dick beamed as he tucked into his own plate eagerly. Tim nodded enthusiastically but silent as Jason waved them off.
"It's nothing, this one's easy. I'll make you something even better tomorrow." Jason promised. Bruce loved fish and so Jason was taking great pleasure in making the mans favourites and taunting him with his inability to eat them.
"Oh, I'll have to come over again if you're cooking, Jason." Hal beamed and shot Bruce a pitiful look. Sure, he did love his boyfriend and he did feel sorry for him but he was also immensely enjoying tormenting him… it was just how their relationship was. Bruce and Hal got to be the soft, dopey in love kind of vibes and the Bat and the Lantern were the complete opposite, always squabbling and arguing at the Watchtower. It kept their relationship fun if nothing else… and the banter was a good disguise for flirting too.
"Sure, Hal, you don't have any dietary requirements I need to know about do you?" Jason questioned because he didn’t know Hal well enough for that yet. He was sure he’d see plenty more of the man if he started swinging by the Manor more though, something gave Jason the idea this relationship was more permanent and not a part of the Brucie Playboy front…
"Nah, I'm good, just avoid eggs and we'll be set." Hal responded as Dick and Tim had their own quiet conversation. Bruce only glared at his leek-y soup.
Jason didn't mask his smile. The beautiful accident that was him breaking Bruce's Jaw when the man didn't avoid his punch (Jason expected he could so he didn't hold back) was actually a really cathartic thing to subdue the pit in him that screamed for more. They’d ended up in a fight, Batman criticising his treatment of Gotham’s worst once more and Jason had been having a really shit day, so the scolding only made it worse. One thing led to another and ended with Bruce’s jaw broken and Jason needed his shoulder resetting. Jason was smug to have come out with the better side of things.
"Great." Jason hummed in answer and nibbled on his own food.
Between everything, Alfred's warm welcome home, the Replac- Tim's unconcealed hero worship (the kid wasn't as bad as Jason had thought, okay?) Dick, going along with his antics, and Bruce's pretty chill toy boy? Well Jason was pretty happy with the turn out. He didn't need elaborate revenge plans. This was plenty enough… plus broken Jaws didn't just heal overnight, he'd milk this experience for all it was worth.
Bruce just glared. He didn’t break gaze, just aggressively slurping up his soup with a straw and giving Jason the stinky eye.
It was perfect. Jason wouldn’t change it for the world.
Well, maybe if the Joker was dead too, but this was pretty close enough to perfect….