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Despite what Oliver thinks, Roy did not chose Jay purely to piss him off and worry him.
Roy had bumped into Oliver that afternoon, by what Oliver claimed was happenstance and coincidence, but Roy knew Oliver hadn’t visited the Teen Titans in months beforehand- arriving just as Roy left, after being asked to help train some of the new recruits with projectiles had to have been deliberate.
And the things he’d said were definitely planned.
Dick had managed to make Oliver leave, but tried to defend Oliver’s enthusiasm, if not his words, by saying that any father- or father figure, as Dick quickly clarified- would be protective over their Omega son- especially one with a past like Roy’s.
Roy did not appreciate this much either.
Still, as Roy arrived back home, he knew that the person Oliver kept insisting Jason was wasn’t the same as the Alpha in front of him.
Roy can’t see the person that Oliver says Jason is in him.
If Red Hood’s moves were about claiming territory, in that wierd way some alphas do- he wouldn’t have ceded the area when he left to the people who lived here. He’d achieved his aims in Crime Alley to the point it was starting to get called Park Row again, to the point Red Hood wasn’t needed there anymore- and he’d accepted that.
Roy knew people of all dynamics who were far less willing to give up what they thought was theres far beyond when they should’ve.
He can’t see a feral alpha like Oliver accused Jason of being in the part time superhero who picks Lian up from school most days- who accepted Lian as his own pup- who cooks recipes he’d learned from their late friend Bizarro for dinner most nights.
Roy stood in the doorway for a few Minutes, knowing that Jason had noticed him but was waiting for Lian to do so, as Lian spoke excitedly about what their class had tricked their substitute teacher about.
Lian stopped mid-sentence suddenly, taking a second to sniff the air, before her head whipped around, and she bolted over to Roy.
“Daddy! I saw you first this time! I won!”
“What’ve you won, sweetheart?”, Roy asked, hoisting Lian upwards.
“Papa said I could have an extra cookie before bed.”
Jason had the decency to pretend to look guilty at that, before noticing a slight tightness in Roy’s face. “I did, yes. Rough day? Did Dick do something again, I’ll call Kor-“
“Green showed up.” Roy said, knowing Lian wouldn’t figure it out as quickly.
Jason took a deep breathe, and Roy could see him counting for a few seconds. “Want to talk about it?”
“I want to talk about my day.” Lian announced.
“One second, Pup, okay? Jay, it can wait. Once Lian’s asleep. What’s that I smell from the kitchen?”
---
A couple of months later, after Roy had pointedly hung up the phone every time Oliver went off on too long of a spiel about something, and it seemed he was finally starting to behave.
And then, Oliver said he wanted to see Roy and his family- invited them all round. And Roy allowed himself to hope that that maybe Oliver was finally coming around to who Roy had decided to share his life with.
An hour in to their actual visit however, he’d realised from all the passive aggressive comments alone that this was not the case.
When Oliver upped it a little more, Roy couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Roy, you have to understand that it’s a little concerning you living alone with an Alpha like that- No offense, Todd.”
Roy put a hand on Jason’s arm for a second, reaching over Lian between them. “Oliver. I know you’re… Well… you’ve saying you’re concerned. But you weren’t this concerned about Cheshire of all people. Were you?”
“We weren’t talking then, Roy, you know that.”
“We were damn well talking when it started Oliver, don’t you pretend otherwise.”
Oliver’s eyed darted around a little, before he settled back into his usual confidence. “I mean… an Alpha from Gotham?” He sounded a little like he was questioning himself. “You know how Spooks is- and Gotham-“
“It’s not like Jason is the first Gothamite I’ve dated.”
“Dick is a beta. It’s different.”
“Why?” Roy challenged, staring Oliver in the eyes. Oliver stared back.
Lian whispered something to Jason, who promptly faked clearing his throat.
Roy looked over, took a breath, passed Lian another cake from the table, and tried to change the subject.
“So, any new friends, Oliver, since last time we’ve talked.”
Oliver screwed up his nose for a second, before deciding, “None. Well, none I can talk about in front of Lian.”
Ah. That kind of friend.
Jason snorted, “B said the same when you asked him that last week. Should probably find a better icebreaker.”
“Shut up. Anyway-” Trying to save the conversation, Roy steered it over to himself, “Well, I’ve started talking to this Omega named Harleen at NA- she’s been there, on and off for a bit- did you know it’s possible to, well, you know, with Joker Gas of all things. Anyway- she’s invited Jay and I on a double date with her Pamela next week and-“
“God, do you always have to talk about that group?”
“Hey, watch it-“
“It’s a part of my life, Oliver. Don’t you always say you want to hear about that?”
“I just don’t understand why you’re still going. You’re clean now.”
Roy could see the glow of the flash of green in Jason’s eyes, and stuck out an arm in front of him. “I can handle this, Jay.”
“See- you have to hold him back- I told you he’s feral-“
“Frankly, I’m starting to get a little concerned myself over how you’re claiming to be more worried over me about Jason than you ever were about the fucking drugs. Only one of those ruined my life.”
“I have a right-“ Oliver began to raise his voice, and Roy interrupted back with equal volume.
“What rights?”
“Roy- You’re not an idiot. I have the right to be protective like this over My Omega.”
Jason stood up, and almost growled, “He’s Not Yours. He’s Mine.”
Oliver half growled back, and the two took a step towards each other.
God dammit. He doesn’t even have the excuse of Alpha posturing- Oliver’s a fucking beta.
“Jason Todd.” Roy hissed. That seemed to break Jason out of what was quickly escalating towards something messy.
“Roy, I’m-“
“Take Lian out to the car. I’ll join you in a bit.”
Jason looked down at Lian, who had been watching this train wreck with wide eyes. He picked her up, and the room was silent enough you could’ve heard a pin drop.
As he closed the door to the room behind him and Lian,, he could hear the argument start up again, with harsher words than before.