Work Text:
The funeral was an odd affair, as Jason predicted they were the only ones in attendance. Selina held onto the boys for dear life, Bruce stood awkwardly behind them with Alfred beside him. A priest who had baptized Jason as an infant but had not seen him nor his mother since, did the funeral. Jason didn’t have it in him to say an eulogy and no one expected him to, at the ripe age of eleven and newly orphaned. What the priest spoke was generic in nature, but essentially the message was that she had gone to a better place. Which felt like a slap in the face to a kid, who lost his mother. Jason and Dick both wore suits that Selina had taken them to get the day previous. The darkness of the suits made their complexions look paler and Jason’s eyes were sunken during the whole affair. Dick was curled protectively to his side, he hadn’t quite grasped the concept. The last funeral that he remembered was of his own parents and he dreaded the thought of Jason feeling like he did. Though the memory of the funeral was very faint in the back of his head, it was the last time he felt human before he was made into a talon.
Once it was all said and done, the boys and their sparse belongings were packed away in Bruce’s limousine. Jason had refused to bid Selina goodbye since she said she wouldn’t end contact with them. Dick followed his shadow. They sat in the car in comfortable silence as they waited for Bruce, Selina & Alfred to finish speaking.
“God, I hate leaving them just after this happened.” Selina sighed.
“I don’t blame you, Selina. Hopefully we can just get them settled in their rooms and they can just rest for the evening.” Alfred nodded.
“Hopefully. I honestly doubt either of them will be gung ho about having their own room. They cuddle every night. Sweet kittens.” She murmured.
“I have no problem if they do that this evening considering the circumstances but I don’t want the boys to be codependent on each other.” Alfred nodded.
“Too late for that, Alfred.” Selina gave a lighthearted chuckle.
“It’ll take some adjustment but we’ll figure it out.” Bruce promised.
“I trust that statement a lot more with Alfred around.” Selina nodded.
“Master Bruce wouldn’t adopt two adolescent boys without me around, I assure you.”
“Alfred, I’m the one adopting them.” Bruce groaned a bit offendly.
“If you say so, sir. We ought to leave, we don’t want the children waiting for us too long. Thank you for all you did for them, Miss Kyle. I hope we do see you soon.” Alfred moved to hug her.
She wrapped her arms around him for a quick moment. “You couldn’t keep me away.”
“I’ll text you tonight with an update on the boys.” Bruce promised and kissed the top of her head.
“You’d better. Batman better be off duty tonight too.”
“Don’t worry, Miss Kyle. I’ve hidden the suit.” Alfred smiled cheekily.
“Alfred!”
The old butler was making his way to the driver’s seat before Bruce could say anything else.
Bruce went inside the limousine and sat across from the boys. The drive home was a quiet affair, Bruce had never been good with words and it was more than evident then. As he looked over at the two boys, he never felt more underqualified.
Once they arrived at the manor, Alfred grabbed their bags.
Jason took one look at the place and whispered in Dick’s ear. “Selina was right about Daddy Warbucks.”
Dick gave a small grin. The two boys held hands as Bruce held open the door for them.
“It’s been a long day, I can give you a tour of the manor in its entirety tomorrow. For now, I’ll show you both to your rooms and later Alfred will be up to show you the dining room for dinner. He’s the best cook in the world.”
“Oh sir, you flatter me.” Alfred smiled. “Is there anything you boys would like to request? I aim to please and I know comfort food is best at a time like this.”
“Um Mac and Cheese with hot dogs? My mom used to make that.” Jason shrugged and scratched the back of his head.
Alfred did his best to hold his composure, it was a rational request for an eleven year old but the meal itself sounded revolting to the old Brit. “I’ll see what I can cook up, Master Jason.”
“I’m not anyone’s fucking Master anything. You can just call me Jason or Jay or Jase or anything but that.” He shook his head, disgruntled.
“I mean no harm by that term, young sir. I call all members of the Wayne family, Master. You and Master Dick are both a part of that family by being foster sons of Mister Wayne. I apologize if it bothers you so.”
“Oh.” Jason nodded, not that he quite understood but he would never let on as such.
“On that note, I will also add that Master is a term of respect I hold for you and the other members of the Wayne family. Respect does go both ways, so I do hope in the future you will try your hardest to watch your language. The manor does have a swear jar that I find to be quite the incentive.” Alfred nodded.
“Damn. I mean sorry. Selina didn’t seem to mind when I cursed. She just did it too.” He muttered in distaste. “Same with my mom. And his name is Dick, so we can’t be that strict.” He mumbled.
Bruce held back a laugh. “We can have this discussion later. I’ll show you both to your rooms now.”
“Room.” Jason corrected.
“Rooms.” Bruce argued childishly.
“Room.” Jason shook his head.
“Rooms, there’s plenty. There’s dozens.”
“Room, Dick sleeps better if we’re cuddling.” He looked down at his hand that no longer held his hand. “Wait, where’d he go?”
“For, Fuck’s sake. Where’d he wander off to?” Bruce cursed.
“That’s why we have the swear jar.” Alfred murmured to himself.
“He hides.” Jason added.
“He what? Master Jason.”
“Just Jason.” He groaned. “Dick, he hides. Whenever Bruce was supposed to come over for dinner at Selina’s he hid all day. He was in the vents, under the table, in the closet, the crawl space in the basement where we did laundry. He even hid underneath the stairs like Harry fucking Potter. If he felt uncomfortable, he probably hid.”
“Oh good heavens, there’s so many places for a child to hide in the manor.” Alfred winced.
“Dozens of fucking bedrooms, if I recall.” Jason glared at Bruce.
“We’ll split up. It shouldn’t be that hard to track him if we all look. We haven’t been in the front entryway long enough for him to have gotten far.” Bruce sighed.
“Master Jason stays on the ground level, Master Bruce and I will each take a wing of the upstairs to search. I don’t believe he would’ve gone outside. We would've heard the door.”
“Sounds like a plan, Alfred.” Bruce hurried himself up the stairs of the east wing.
It took about an hour and a half before they found Dick. He was nestled in the vent of Bruce’s office, he had taken off his blazer and had used it as a pillow to nap.
“My office was locked, he shouldn’t have been able to get in.” Bruce muttered as he held the sleeping child in his arms.
“He’s a former circus performer and talon. You’re truly surprised he could undo a lock?” Alfred titled his head.
Bruce sighed. “I’ll tell Jason to call off the search.”
“You’re truly in over your head, Master Bruce.”
“Thanks for the reminder, Alfred.” Bruce kissed the small boy’s temple and carried him down the stairs. Once Bruce went to find Jason, he found him in the living room with his head peeked underneath the sofa.
“I found him, Jay.” He announced.
“Where?” Jason muttered excitedly then an “Ow.” As he bumped his head on the base of the couch.
“Are you alright, Jason?” Bruce frowned as the tween stood up.
Jason shook his head. “I’m fine, Money bags. I’m not going to sue you for harm and suffering. Where’d you find my brother?” He moved to take Dick from Bruce’s arms.
Bruce frowned but allowed him to take Dick in his arms. “He was nestled in the vent of my office. My office that was previously locked.”
Jason snorted. “Locks don’t stop Dickie and me. Can you show me where our room is? I’m ready to join him in a nap.”
“I can show you one of your rooms, yes. I do hope that eventually you’ll be okay with having your own.” He added.
“Maybe yeah. Just please, he’s heavier than he looks.” He nudged his head at Dick.
“I can carry him, Jase.”
“No, no I’ve got him. He’s my brother. I don’t want him waking up in the arms of a stranger.”
“I’m not a stranger.”
“Just stop trying so hard please, it’s already been a long ass day.” Jason let out a long sigh.
“Alright, let’s go.” He took him up the stairs of the east wing. “Your room is right beside mine if you need anything at all.”
“We won’t need anything, we’re not much trouble.” Jason promised. “Look I appreciate you keeping us together and out of the system and all, but you’re still a stranger so I’m going to need to go down like ten fucking notches on the whole acting parental thing.”
“Lang-“
“Ten fucking notches.” Jason sighed. “I already lost two parents in one month, I don’t need a new daddy right now.”
“Sorry, Jay.” The two stopped where they were right outside of a door that had the initial J. “This is you.” He opened the door. The room had a plaid navy blue and red comforter, a bookshelf, a desk with a desktop computer, a television mounted on the wall and a trunk full of toys at the end of the bed. “I left most of the decorating up to you, but I did put a few essentials in the room. The toy trunk mostly has nerf guns, RC vehicles and legos. I didn’t know what other toys you would want since you’re about the age where you start outgrowing them.”
Jason was speechless at the sight of the room. He set Dick down on the bed and pulled down the comforter. He tucked his brother in the bed, before he walked around the room like it was an amusement park. “This is all mine?” He clarified. “Are you sure you call this not decorated?”
Bruce nodded. “It’s all you. Jase, it doesn’t have any posters or artwork on the walls. They’re quite bare to be honest. Alfred and I thought it was best that you choose what you wanted on the walls.” B looked around the room, then opened his mouth in realization. “Oh, I forgot to mention in one of the drawers of your desk is an IPod for you.”
“Thanks.” Jason murmured. “You’ve outdone yourself. This room is huge, you could fit my whole apartment in this room.” The statement alone made his stomach crawl. While he was appreciative of what Mr. Wayne did, he was confused why a bachelor wanted or needed a home so big. Not that he would say it outloud; but it twisted his stomach that people just miles away lived like this compared to the conditions he had been in before.
Bruce frowned at the thought of Jason’s previous home. “Yes, all the bedrooms are quite massive. I’m so glad you like it.”
He made his way over to inspect the bookshelf and ran his hand along it. “Pride and Prejudice? How’d you know?” He gave a small grin.
“Selina.” Bruce nodded.
“She’s the best.”
“I know.” Bruce agreed.
“Look, I’m sorry I was an ass earlier. Just, I don’t like funerals and I was stressed as hell when we couldn’t find Dick.” He sighed.
“You’re fine, Jay. You’re fine. I’m sorry for both mine and Alfred’s behaviors. I think we both overzealous about your arrivals at the manor and both acted as such.” Bruce sighed. “It’s hard to lose a parent, I lost both of mine when I was Dick’s age. Take your time to grieve, I’ll be there for you. As will Alfred and Selina.”
“Thanks.” Jason nodded. “Fair warning, I’m not going to be great about obeying the whole no language rule. Mom used to say that I swore like a sailor but she was worse than me.” He slumped his shoulders. “The only thing he says aloud is Dick, so he won’t be either.”
Bruce chuckled. “I won’t hold it against him. I’ll let you two rest, Alfred will be up in another hour for dinner.” He bowed out of the room, shut the door and turned off the light.
Jason grabbed a book from his shelf and laid down on his bed. He turned on his bedside lamp and pulled Dick into his side. “I know you’ve been playing possum for the last half hour, Dickie.” He kissed his head. “What do you say, I read you a little Pride and Prejudice?”
Dick opened his eyes and laid his head on Jason. He hummed in agreement to the proposal.
“I’m never carrying you for that long again.”
Dick snorted.
“Hey! I mean it.”
Dick shrugged, the snarky little shit.