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Dick had been debating this matter for a while now, internally at war with himself. The matter of Robin, that is. He had to face the facts; he outgrew the mantle a while ago, and he was Nightwing now. But of course, Robin still held a special place in his heart, because how could it not, when it was his mother’s name for him. Bruce had respected his decision to change his identity, and the Robin costume hung in the Batcave still, on display in one of those glass cases.
He knew Bruce was training Jason to fight, to be able to defend himself and this city. He knew Jason would be on the streets of Gotham at Batman’s side soon enough and that his brother didn’t have a vigilante name yet. So, the thought had crossed his mind multiple times about passing the mantle of Robin down to him. He knew he was the only one who had the right to pass that name on, because even if he wasn’t Robin anymore, that identity was his.
Jason… Jason suited the vigilante life better than Dick had when he first started out. Having grown up in Gotham, and Crime Alley specifically, the kid knew the streets better than most people. He had the nerve and he had the grit, which was something Dick took a while to develop. He would be good for Gotham.
Dick made his mind up.
He rolled out of bed and grabbed his phone from where it was laying on his nightstand, going to his contacts and calling Bruce, who didn’t hesitate to pick up on the third ring. “Dick? Everything alright?”
“I want to give Robin to Jason.” Dick blurted out without warning.
“What?”
“I want to give Robin. To. Jason,” Dick repeated, slower this time and pausing between words to emphasise. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I’m not Robin anymore, I’m Nightwing. He needs a name and – and I think Robin suits him.”
“It’s your name, chum. You do with it what you want,” Bruce replied. “I am proud of you, though. I know this couldn’t have been an easy decision to make.”
“Thanks, B,” Dick breathed out. “It was hard. But I think I’m ready to let it go.”
Dick wouldn’t get to see Jason for a few more weeks unfortunately. He pulled into the Batcave on his bike and slipped his helmet off, running a hand through sweaty locks and making a face. “Dick!” He heard and turned to see Jason sitting in front of the Batcomputer, a big grin on his face.
“Little Wing,” Dick greeted back. “Awake so late?”
“’S fine. No school tomorrow so Bruce said I get to stay up if I want to,” Jason bragged, bringing Dick to chuckle as he put his helmet down on a table nearby and peeled his domino mask off. “What brings you to Gotham?”
“I can’t visit home?” Dick cocked his head to the side and it reminded Jason of a bird. “Joking. I’ve been long overdue a visit. Sorry I didn’t come sooner. Got a lot of stuff to deal with in Blud, both nightlife and daytime.”
“I get it,” Jason shrugged. “I did miss you though.”
“Missed you too.” Dick ruffled his hair. “Let me shower then I’ll come back, yeah? I want to talk to you about something.”
“Okay!”
It wasn’t too long after that Dick was walking out of the showers, his hair fluffy and his suit replaced with a pair of faded blue sweatpants and a band tee. He leaned against the panels in front of the Batcomputer and Jason turned his gaze to him. “Hey.”
“Hi,” Jason grinned cheekily. “How was the shower?”
“Wonderful. Best shower I’ve had in weeks.”
“Blud’s that bad?”
“Don’t have much hot water,” Dick shrugged. “But it’s fine.”
“Why don’t you stay in Gotham?” Jason inquired, an undertone of desperation in his voice. He wanted Dick to stay in Gotham. In the manor. With him.
“Gotham already has a vigilante, firstly. And secondly, I don’t like leeching off of B. I want to make a life for myself, you know?” Dick crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll try come back to Gotham more though, make it a weekly thing maybe?”
“Really?” Jason’s eyes widened.
“Really,” Came the nod. “But this conversation is not about me. It’s about you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, kiddo. You. I hear Bruce is training you. To go out with him.”
“Oh. Yeah…” Jason straightened. “He is!”
“You got a name yet?”
“No,” And he deflated, leaning back in his chair and huffing, arms crossed over his chest and his bottom lip jutting out in frustration. “It’s so hard!”
“It can be, yeah.”
“How’d you come up with Robin?”
“That’s a good question. I’m afraid my answer won’t help you too much with coming up with your own name though,” Dick smiled apologetically. “Robin was my mother’s nickname for me. She always called me her little robin, so I thought it would be a nice way to remember her, uphold that legacy, you know?”
“Woah,” Jason breathed out; eyes wide. “That’s really cool.”
“It is.”
“But – you’re not Robin anymore.” Jason frowned again.
“I’m not. I felt like I outgrew it,” Dick nodded. “But I’ve been thinking about passing it to someone else. Someone I trust to uphold that legacy too, keep it going.”
“You’d give Robin to someone?”
“Not just anyone, Jay,” Dick smiled. “You.”
Jason stilled, eyes widening slowly as he realised what Dick had just said. “Me?”
“Yeah,” Dick laughed. “You.”
“But – but why?”
“What do you mean why? You’re my brother. You’re family. And I trust you. I trust that you’ll be a good Robin, and – and you’ll keep the memory alive.” Dick shrugged.
“You trust me that much?”
“Jaybird, of course I do,” Dick crouched down and put his hands on Jason’s knees, meeting the younger boys eyes. “Bruce told me about how good you’re doing in training and even outside of that, you have a good heart. You’re kind and you want to help other people. You’re my brother and I love you. I know you’ll do good with this name.”
“How do you always know what to say?” Jason laughed lightly, rubbing his eyes aggressively.
“Oh, Jay.” Dick tugged him out of his chair and into a hug, cupping the back of his neck gently and holding him tenderly.
“I – It would be an honour. To be Robin,” Jason mumbled into Dick’s shirt, his hands gripping the soft fabric of his band tee tightly. “Thank you. For trusting me with it.”
“No one I’d trust more, Little Wing.” Dick leaned back slightly to press a kiss to Jason’s forehead, brushing his hair away from his eyes fondly.
Jason Todd, a Good Soldier
“I’m sorry,” Dick murmured, not caring that his knees were on the wet grass, probably staining his trousers. “I’m sorry, Jay. I – I shouldn’t have let Bruce take you out into the city. I shouldn’t have let him start training you to be a vigilante.”
He hung his head, squeezing his eyes shut and feeling the tears drip down his cheeks. “I should’ve pushed for you to stay home. Live a normal life. Be a normal kid. I –” He broke off, choking on a sob and pressing the palms of his hands into his eyes, hunched over in front of his little brother’s grave.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. I’m sorry I was on the wrong planet. I – I should’ve been there. I should’ve been there for you,” Dick cried. “I shouldn’t have let anyone follow in my footsteps. This life isn’t a safe one, especially not for a kid. I should know. I should have known.” His voice got louder in his frustration and he broke off once more, gasping for air.
“I’m sorry.”
“I killed the Joker, you know?” Dick’s voice was soft, raw, full of pain. “He had Tim. And I beat him. I stopped. But – but then he started talking. He talked about you. And – and I swear, I saw red. He died. I killed him, and then B brought him back.”
A scoff left Dick’s lips. “Typical. I’m the one who kills the fucker and B brings him back,” He lifted his gaze and reached out with trembling, scarred fingers, tracing the lettering on the grave. “You were so much more than a good soldier. You were my brother… are my brother. You’ll always be my brother.”
A shaky inhale.
“I’ve declined every single off-world mission we get offered. The Team goes. I don’t. I can’t. Not after what happened last time. Because – because what if something happens and Tim needs me. And I – I can’t go through it again. I can’t lose someone else,” Dick shook his head. “It almost ended me when I lost you, Jay. I don’t think I’d make it through if it happened again.
“I hope you don’t think we replaced you. Because we didn’t. You can’t be replaced. Never. Tim… he… he figured out our identities. He’s known for years because he saw me to a trick as Robin that only Dick Grayson had done. He came to Haly’s… he was there that night. That night that –” Dick stopped, taking a deep breath. “He was there that night.”
Dick shifted so he was sitting cross legged in front of Jason’s grave, his back slouched and his head hanging low, hands laced together in his lap. “He said you were his hero,” Dick continued softly. “Said Batman needed Robin. But I couldn’t be Robin again so he stepped up. Did what I couldn’t. He hasn’t had it easy. Parents are neglectful assholes and he’s left alone for so long so he hung around the manor. I asked him to stay because it didn’t sit right with me that this kid had to go home and be alone.
“So yeah, he is my brother now. But Little Wing, I could never replace you. No one could replace you. You’re too… you. I miss you so much,” Dick’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Went into your room the other day but I couldn’t stay in there for more than a few minutes, I – I kept hearing your voice… seeing your face…”
“Might want to think about seeing someone for that. I don’t think hallucinations are normal, Big Bird,” Someone spoke from behind Dick and he stood in an instant, whirling around to be met with an achingly familiar face. “Hey Dickie.”
It was… Jason? But he was older and bigger. Dressed in reds, browns, and blacks and mostly in leather. His dark hair flopped over his forehead, a chunk of it a startling white. And his eyes… they were flecked with a poisonous green.
“Whoever’s sick idea of a prank this is…” Dick began, his voice shaky and his fists clenched by his sides. “It’s not funny.”
“It’s not a prank.”
“My brother is dead,” Dick whispered. “He’s gone.”
“I’m standing right here.” Jason joked.
“He’s dead!” Dick shouted. “He’s gone and he’s not coming back. He’s gone because I wasn’t fast enough. He’s gone because I wanted to go to space. He’s gone because I failed him!”
“Dickie…” Jason trailed off. “You didn’t fail me. You killed the Joker. That’s more than anyone’s ever done for me. More than B has ever done for me.”
“Stop talking like you’re him,” Dick stepped back, shaking his head. “You’re not him.”
“I am him. You remember years ago when you told me about Robin? You told me it was your mother’s name for you. That you chose it to honour her memory and – and you trusted me with that name. Trusted me with your family’s legacy and you gave Robin to me. Do you remember?”
“How do you –” Dick cocked his head to the side. “Jason…?”
“I dug myself out of my grave and they tossed me in the pit. The Lazarus Pit,” Jason smiled grimly. “But I’m back. And better than ever.”
“You –”
“I’m alive, Big Bird,” Jason said gently, walking closer steadily until he was close enough that Dick could reach out and put a hand on his chest, right over his heart. The older stepped back in shock when he felt his brother’s heart beating under his hand. “See. Alive.”
“You’re so big,” Dick’s hands wandered up and cupped Jason’s face tenderly. Jason closed his eyes and let his head be tugged down until it met someone else’s forehead. “You’re taller than me. I – I didn’t get to see you get older.” Dick’s breath hitched and he wrapped his arms around Jason, hugging him the same way he hugged him all those years ago, with one hand cupping the back of his neck protectively.
Jason didn’t hesitate to return it. “’S okay. It’s okay, Dickiebird,” Jason soothed. “I’m here now. And I’m not planning on leaving any time soon.”