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It was a strange thought to consider, but Jason actually liked Rachel. Sure, she was weird and different from other women he had met. She was taller and stronger - she carried Dick around like it meant nothing - and was more put together than anyone he had ever met. (Fashion-wise, she was a mess in the kitchen no matter how good her sandwiches were.) She called him baby and Jaylad, and Dick was sweetheart and chum. They always made him flush when she said it. She also had odd habits like eating with him every day no matter how tired she was, never taking his food, giving him as many books as he wanted and never shouting. \
The last part made him nervous, but after weeks of pushing against her, breaking the rules deliberately, and never getting so much as a slap on the back of his head, he changed Jason’s perspective of her.
It also helped that Rachel was Batman, and everybody knew that Batman never hurt kids.
The strangest thing of all, she had given him her name the same way she had given it to Dick. Jason Peter Todd was now Jason Peter Todd Wayne. He was now Rachel’s son and she was his mother. Just like how she ensured his happiness, Jason was determined to do the same.
Which is why he didn’t like Clark Kent.
Superman.
Just the mere thought of the man made Jason’s nose scrunch in disgust.
So what if he was the pinnacle of all things good and great? So what if Clark had a cool country accent and a white-toothed smile? So what if Superman was known to save everyone and everything, including cats from trees, because a little girl was crying, even when everybody knew that cats could get down themselves?
Rachel could do better.
Dick couldn’t understand why Jason didn’t like Clark. There’s nothing wrong with him, and he would never hurt Rachel, he would say. But Dick was stupid and went blind every time a redhead entered his vision. Jason didn’t have much hope for Dick achieving the level of intelligence Jason clearly had. Because if he did, he would know what Jason did.
Diana Prince, aka Wonder Woman, was obviously the better choice.
Now that was someone Rachel should make their new adopted mom. She was taller than Rachel and even stronger, lifting Dick and Rachel in her arms when she wanted to. She could speak over a hundred languages, an expert fighter, had a pretty smile and knew more things than anyone - except Rachel. Diana was the obvious choice.
And Jason was determined to make everyone see that.
The plan was simple.
Step 1: Start convincing Rachel she needed a romantic partner, all while praising Diana.
It was something called physiological manipulation through subliminal messages. The Question – and man, if he thought Rachel was weird, he was worse – explained as ‘the government using boy band and their music to induce teenage girls into their army to take over the world.’ Crazy, but Jason knew teenage girls, so maybe the government had the right idea. Anyway, the way it worked was through secretive and suggestive images, subtly exposing them to thoughts and ideas until they subconsciously agreed to them. All he had to do is bring up Diana in casual conversation in a good way, subtly, until Rachel would only think these good things when she looked at Diana and boom! Fall in love!
Okay, Harley Quinn might have suggested it, but it wasn’t like the woman was stupid. She was a Doctor in psychology, so good in fact, that she hasn’t even had her licence revoked.
Jason ignored how this great doctor managed to fall for the Joker. Lapse of judgement. They all had them. He thought he was doing a good job.
Like when Rachel was renovating her bedroom.
“You know, Diana is pretty strong. She could help you with moving all of this.”
“No, baby. I have you and Dick to help me. Besides, Diana is in Athens. A new collection came in.”
Or when Rachel was struggling to choose what to wear.
“Diana could help you. She has great fashion sense.”
“So do I, baby. The red one is better. Also, Diana couldn’t make it tonight.”
When Diana did something extraordinary during a fight.
“Did you see that, B? Wonder Woman totally took down all those aliens by herself! She’s so cool, isn’t she?”
“Of course. Shut up, Hal. You’re clearly not impressive enough for him to notice.”
(Eww, Hal Jordan.)
So, you see? Job well done.
Step 2: get Diana to visit the Manor.
It wasn’t strange for her to visit, even if it was only to see Jason for a few minutes before leaving again. Mostly, she came to visit Rachel, Clark unfortunately with her. For sleepovers, Dick always said with a smug smirk on his stupid face. At first, Jason had thought they were - ew - having sex, but spying on them, that couldn’t be further from from the truth.
Turns out, it was just a sleepover. Like something out of those girly movies he, Dick, and Rachel watched together. Painting nails, braiding hair, doing face masks, even gossiping about the people they work with. (“Hal breathes, Clark. That’s enough to piss me off. I prefer John. He’s smart and resourceful. Also, he’s actually funny.”) Jason had even been allowed to join some of them, but he recognised what those nights meant to all of them: it was one night a month they could just be friends, relax without interruption. Dick did the same, visiting his friends as civilians to unwind. Jason hopes he has friends to do it with one day, especially after he becomes Robin.
(Dick was still Robin, and Jason was still training, but Dick was chafing under the restraint of being Robin and was thinking of becoming something new. Things were changing so why can’t Rachel change with it and get herself a girlfriend?)
Even if he were usually asleep when these nights were happening, Jason decided to stay away but only after Rachel tucked him in. (Shut up! He was twelve! He’s allowed to be still tucked in and read to sleep.) It was an easy choice to make when he kept seeing Clark resting his hand on Rachel’s thigh and Diana looking unaffected by it. Jason wanted Diana to be affected by it, damn it!
Step 2: Get Diana and Rachel in a room together.
Also, pretty straightforward. Diana made frequent stops to Rachel’s office, sometimes staying until dinner before flying off. There were even times when Diana would remain with them for weeks on end. Jason assumed she had her own bedroom in the guest wing because he never saw her room.
The problem was, so did Clark, and it was difficult to dislike the guy when he told cool stories about his cows and chickens and his dog Shelby or how cool his mother’s pie was. (It was great pie.) He and Diana must have their own rooms in the Manor with how regularly they stay over.
Dick had frowned when Jason asked him about it, before a mischievous spark entered his eyes, walking away laughing. He never did answer the question.
Jason shook the thoughts away, carefully tiptoeing down the hall leading to Rachel’s office, where Diana was currently visiting. He had to be quiet for the next part of his plan, and for him to do that, he had to focus on where he stepped. Some of the floorboards creaked, and Jason had spent the last few weeks memorising where they were.
He wasn’t going to mess this up.
Jason was considering his third step, locking the office door, when he peaked through a small opening. He knew it would be there – Rachel never closed any of her doors – and he had to bite his lip to keep himself from jumping up in delight.
Rachel and Diana stood on the balcony, silhouettes in the setting sun, leaning toward each other as they talked. It was too far for Jason to hear, but from the smile on their faces, it was a good kind of conversation. Rachel was in her comfort wear, something she put on when she was spending her days in the Manor, and Diana was in her Wonder Woman uniform, clearly about to leave. Jason was just about to close the door when – oh my god!
Jason could barely contain his squeal.
Diana leaned down to kiss Rachel.
It was soft and slow, like something out of the books he loved reading and those movies Dick cried to even if he denied it. Jason half expected fireworks to explode behind or the world to stop spinning when their lips touched. But, alas, they let go of each other, and nothing happened, as Jason didn’t just have the very foundation of his world shook.
His plan worked!
He watched anxiously as Diana turned and flew into the air, Rachel staying on the balcony until she was out of sight. Jason scrabbled away, tiptoeing back to his room.
It was only in the safety of his bedroom where he squealed, jumping onto his bed.
Diana would be his mother’s girlfriend in no time.
No.
No!
Jason stared and stared, eyes beginning to burn at the glare of the TV light. He didn’t dare blink, didn’t even breathe as he took in the breaking news announcement.
SUPERMAN CAUGHT KISSING BATMAN.
He didn’t care about what the newscaster was saying, fixating on the picture hovering at the corner of the screen. It was blurry, clearly taken during the heat of the latest alien invasion, but there it was, clear as day.
Superman, in his stupid blue and red suit, large hands cradling Batman’s neck through the cowl, titling Rachel towards him as he leaned down to kiss her.
It was romantic, the comments said.
Superbat for the win, Twitter said.
It makes sense, they said.
Jason’s right eye twitched.
Buzz-buzz.
Jason only averted his eyes from the TV when he held his phone up, barely reading Alfred’s message from the Batcave.
Rachel’s home, Alfred’s text said. Bruised, but nothing broken. Safe.
Not for much longer, she’s not, Jason thought viciously, blinking rapidly as his eyes burned, stomping his way through the Manor, down into the Batcave.
Rachel was in the medical bay, standing in sweatpants and a t-shirt, smiling tiredly as if she hadn’t just shattered his entire future.
“No!” he wailed dramatically, throwing himself into Rachel’s waist. She barely had enough time to catch him before he jerked away. “How could you?!”
These were tears of anger, not sadness.
Rachel frowned. “What? What did I do?”
“You kissed him!” Jason spat, rubbing furiously at his eyes. “You kissed him after I saw you kiss Diana! How could you, B?”
“Baby, Jay,” Rachel said frantically, crouching slowly to Jason’s height. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You need to tell me why you’re so upset.”
“You’re a cheater, B,” Jason sniffled, swinging his shoulders wildly in an effort to fight off Rachel’s consoling hands. He lost that fight as she circled his forearms. “I didn’t think you’d do something like that.”
“Jason,” Rachel said softly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I can assure you I would never cheat on anybody.”
“I saw you!” Jason shouted. “I saw you kiss Diana, and then, just now, I saw you kiss Superman! There’s pictures of it and everything.”
Rachel’s worry faded away, mouthing ‘oh’ to Dick as he giggled from somewhere in the cave.
“Jason, baby,” she said, almost crooning as she took Jason in her arms, lifting him effortlessly before making her way out of the cave. She shot Alfred a look, and the butler nodded, an amused curl to his stiff lips. Jason didn’t fight her as she carried him to their den, nestling him onto her lap as she sat down.
She tried to keep any humour from her voice as she spoke.
“Jason,” she said. “I think it’s time you and I have a talk.”
Jason sprung from her lap, swiftly turning to her, pointing as he said, “I’m going to tell Diana and Clark.”
“I admire that.” Rachel nodded. “You should always tell people they are being cheated on, even if it is your friend doing it. But, baby, I’m not cheating on anyone. I’m dating both of them.”
Was that supposed to make sense?
“Rachel,” Jason said slowly, “that is what cheating is.” Did rich people cheat differently, too?
“Ordinarily, yes, but not in this case. I’m dating Diana and Clark. They both know about it.”
Jason blinked. “What?” He didn’t think it worked that way.
Rachel smiled, the one she did when she was particularly proud of something Jason did. “Remember how we talked about how people have different relationships? How Dick used to date Barbara and now Wally?”
Jason remembered them talking about how both Rachel and Dick liked dating people. Not men, not women, just people. He wasn’t a stranger to gay and trans kids; many of them ended up on the streets when their parents found out, kicking them out. They were nice people, the older ones almost always willing to help him when he asked. When Rachel adopted him, they were one of the first people he wanted to help. It had worked, and most of them had gotten off the streets.
“Yeah.” He still didn’t get how gay equalled cheating.
“Well, sometimes people share those romantic relationships with others,” Rachel said, thinking of a decent example. For some reason, Rachel didn’t think Henry IIV and his wives would go down well. But, that did bring another idea to mind. “You know, in those history, fantasy Chinese dramas you like watching.” She waited until Jason nodded to continue. “A lot of the time, the rich male characters have two or more brides. Like, how the emperor has the empress and then a second wife and a third? Those women share a husband.” Rachel hoped to God this made sense. Dick, with his different circus upbringing, didn’t need an explanation for different relationships. “Clark and Diana share me. Because I love both of them, and they love me, but they don’t love each other like that.”
Jason stared silently, brain working overtime as he took in the new information, his earlier turmoil bleeding into something more tameable. Rachel was with both of them. She was dating Clark and Diana, who were okay with her dating the other. Like a love triangle with a missing line.
“Okay,” Jason said slowly.
“Do you understand?” Rachel asked him, eyes boring into him.
He was about to say no when her words caught up.
I love both of them, and they love me.
Rachel loved them. They were okay with that.
“Yes. I’m sorry,” he said quickly, smiling sheepishly at his previous behaviour.
“It’s okay, baby,” Rachel said, a wide grin on her face. It was soft but different from any of the others he had seen. Happy and unchained, and Jason wanted to preen because he was the one who put it there.
He still didn’t understand, but he didn’t let that stop him from hugging her tightly, nuzzling into her neck as they sat together, Rachel telling the story about how she, Diana and Clark started dating.
Jason drifts off to sleep, the emotional rollercoaster tiring him out, unknown that years later, he will.
He’ll look at Artemis and Roy, and he’ll finally understand why his mother loved both of them and how easy it was to love two people simultaneously.