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Jason was returning from the book store after making his rounds, albeit much quicker than he typically would. Just cause he'd managed to get Tim to sleep didn't mean he'd stay asleep, even if anyone with two brain cells to rub together could tell he wasn't over the worst of his cold yet.
Regardless, Jason held a copy of Pippi Longstockings under his coat. Tim had once mentioned it was the only book he ever remembered being read to him. He couldn't remember the nanny's name, but he knew she was fired shortly afterwards, replaced with someone more detached.
Jason wasn't even surprised.
He was a few blocks from his apartment when he caught movement in the corner of his eye. He instinctually melted into the shadows, looking for the blur again. It wasn't Batman or Nightwing, whoever it had been was too colorful for that.
It took a moment, but he saw who it was. Superboy. Jason loaded a kryptonite bullet in his gun. It wouldn't kill the kid, just bounce off and stun him enough to ask him what the hell he was doing.
He lined up the shot, nailing him in the leg. Kon let out a yelp and dropped a few feet, just close enough for Jason to seize him by the arm.
"What ya doin' kid?" Jason asked, fully leaning into his accent.
"Nothing," Kon said, trying to pull away.
Jason pulled a piece of kryptonite from his pocket. "Try again."
Kon scowled at him. "Fine," he spat out. "Why is Robin's heart beat here, when Batman and Nightwing seem to think he's with Young Justice?
Ah. That. Bruce had called Tim the previous day, before his voice was entirely shot to shit, in what was near panic from the man. Apparently, one of them had been delivering Alfred's soup to Drake manor, only to be met with the eerie nothingness of the place. Tim had then proceeded to lie and tell Bruce that his teammates had found out he was sick and basically kidnapped him. Honestly, Jason had to admit the way the lie was delivered was perfect. He had never heard anyone lie to Batman that effortlessly.
Jason also hated to admit that hearing Bruce's voice on the other end of the line caked in worry made it a lot harder to be mad at him.
Anyway! Jason was not thinking about that at the moment.
Jason raised an eyebrow. "Oh, an' why d'you think it's his heartbeat?"
Kon faltered for a moment, before trying to twist out of his grip in a way that would've worked had Jason been someone with less training. "I know what his heartbeat sounds like. If you've done something to him—"
"Chill out," Jason said. He did appreciate that Tim's boyfriend would risk facing Bruce and his no meta rule to make sure Tim was safe, but really at the moment it was just counter productive. "I don't hurt kids."
"I think you know where he is."
"And I think I'll take you to him if you just tell me how you know that the Bats think he's there."
"Fine," Kon finally conceded.
~*~
Bart was running loops around the tower. Partially out of boredom, and partially because Cassie told him to blow off some steam before he vibrated through the floor. He had said he thought he was on loop two hundred and something, but he had lost count.
He zipped past the zeta tubes, only barely stopping before he collided with Nightwing.
"What're you doing with the soup?" He asked, words likely blurring together.
"I'm bringing it to Robin," Nightwing said. "I'm glad someone's making him take care of himself, even if you did have to kidnap him. B tries but..." He let out a chuckle.
"Right," Bart said.
"Is he up? He passed out working on a case last night."
"Uh," Bart paused. "Kon and Cassie were with him. Let me check!"
With that, Bart was off. It didn't take long for him to find Kon and Cassie. He jerked them both up, half dragging them to Tim's room.
"Rob is sick, and Nightwing thinks he's here with us," he told them.
"He isn't," Kon said.
"We know that, but he didn't."
"Why didn't you just correct him?" Cassie asked.
"It sounded like Rob told the other Bats he was here."
"And if he did that," Kon said.
Cassie picked up where he left off. "He doesn't want them to know where he is. Kon get under the blankets."
"Me?"
"Yes you! You have black hair, and we can say you flew off to get some medicine."
"Fine," Kon relented. "Bart, keep Nightwing distracted for a few minutes."
Bart gave a salute and ran off.
Kon and Cassie began running around, flipping off the lights, pulling the curtains tight. Plunging the room into darkness. Kon then lied on the bed, Cassie pulling the covers over his head, making sure his features weren't clear from any angles.
"I hear them coming back," Kon whispered.
"Copy Tim's breathing,"
Kon didn't answer, but he did what she said, adding a slight wheezing sound to his breathing. It wasn't perfect, but it would be good enough for someone who wasn't as intimate with Tim's breathing as he was.
Cassie had stepped out the door, and Nightwing had poked his head in. He hadn't said anything, but Kon was still sweating bullets.
~*~
"It ended up working," Kon said. "Nightwing left the soup in the kitchen and told us to call if Rob needed anything. He left, but then when we called Rob, he didn't answer his phone—"
"And you were worried something had happened to him," Jason finished.
"Yes. Now take me to him."
Jason motioned for him to start down the fire escape, and placed the kryptonite in a lead lined pocket. It wasn't like he would be able to fly off or something quite yet. Jason wasn't far behind.
They got to the ground, and Jason led him towards his apartment. Neither said anything the entire walk. Jason unlocked the door and they both went in.
"I presume you'll be staying, for diner?" Jason asked.
"Why is Robin here?"
Jason tossed his helmet and domino mask to the side. "Ah, a question with a question. Y'know, I just said he shouldn't tell the bats, not that he couldn't tell you and his friends. I'm slowly learning I have to be hyper specific with the little shit." Kon's eyes widened, but Jason continued, indifferent to the fact it looked like he was about to kill him, "I'm Jason Todd."
"I literally don't know who you are."
"I'm not as dead as everyone— wait, seriously? Do you only know Robin's identity?"
"Yes?" Kon said slowly, moving towards Tim's room.
"Oh..." Jason trailed off.
Kon made eye contact with him, before picking up a lamp and throwing it at him. He ignored Jason's yelp, and ran towards Tim.
He threw open the door to a dark room. Tim looked up at him, blinking blearily. He let out a raspy sound like he was trying to say Kon's name, before an annoyed frown crossed his face and he rubbed at his throat.
"Did you have to throw the lamp?" Jason asked, turning the corner. "I said I was bringing you to him."
Kon stood in front of Tim, blocking him from Jason. "Why should I believe you?"
"You really have no clue who I am." Jason looked at Tim. "You sure you want this one, Timbo?"
Tim just gave him a blank look for a moment before sticking his tongue out.
"Okay, but I will be teasing him. And giving him a shovel talk. It's my duty as your older brother."
Kon jerked his head to Tim. "Brother?"
Tim just nodded. He began to try to talk again before breaking off into a coughing fit. He pointed to a glass, and Kon handed it to him. Tim gave him a smile.
"He's your brother?" Kon asked again.
Tim wiggled his hand in front of his face, in a sorta gesture.
"And he isn't going to, I don't know, beat you half to death and slit your throat? Write his name in blood or something?"
Tim shook his head, and pulled Kon down, making him sit on the bed, instead of metaphorically hovering above him.
"You trust him?"
Tim nodded.
"Okay," Kon said. He looked at Jason. "So, why was the first time I heard of you when you showed up on the most wanted list?"
"Long story," Jason said. "I'll let Timmy explain in full later. Long story short, Batman and Nightwing aren't doing good enough, so I adopted Tim first. Also, in my defense, the people I decapitated deserved it."
Kon gave Tim a concerned look.
"Anyway, don't tell the other Bats I'm alive. I have a long plan for that. It's changed a whole lot in the last few weeks, but still." Jason glanced at Tim. "I know that look. I'm not being an overly dramatic theater kid."
Tim's face said otherwise.
"You're going to tell what the hell that's about later too, right?" Kon whispered to him.
Tim gave him a subtle thumbs up, as Jason pulled up a chair next to the bed.
"That's enough chit chat right now," He said. "It's bedtime for sick baby birds." Jason pulled out a book from his coat. "Settle in, both of you. I doubt either of you got many bedtime stories."
Jason flipped past the first few blank pages until he got to the first chapter. He read out the chapter name, making sure both boys were listening before continuing, "Way out at the end of a tiny little town was an old overgrown garden..."