Chapter Text
“All right, I call this meeting to order.”
Bruce stood in front of them, his eyes sharp and focused. They had all gathered in the library and were scattered around the room – Jason was sprawled out on one of the couches, Damian was sitting on the love seat next to him, and Dick was standing against the wall behind them. Tim, as usual, took the oversized beanbag chair on the floor.
Earlier that morning, Bruce had announced that the annual Wayne Enterprises business convention was being held on Hamilton Island in Australia and that all four of them would be going with him this year. They were leaving in two days and staying for two weeks. And anytime the Waynes traveled, they held a meeting to discuss logistics and any potential risks to their identities – particularly, their supernatural ones. They were nice and organized like that.
“So, this one is gonna be a real doozy,” Tim began. “I mean, we’re going to an island resort, so we’re constantly gonna be surrounded by water. Not to mention the full moon is on Monday and Jason–”
“Is not the one we need to worry about. I’ve had to change in plenty of less-than-ideal places over the years – hotel rooms, abandoned warehouses; hell, once I even changed in the handicap stall of the bathroom at My Alibi. That was an interesting experience,” Jason said, cocking his head thoughtfully. He smiled a bit a the memory then shook his head. “The point is, you’re the one we should be focusing our energy on, Fish Boy. I’ll be fine.”
Damian shot Jason a look of distaste then turned back to Tim. “I don’t understand why Drake is even going. Cassandra isn’t.”
Tim rolled his eyes. “Because it’s a Wayne Enterprises event, and I’m CEO. And Cass isn’t going because her vacation is going to be staying with Barbara and Steph away from all of us.”
“Tim is going,” Bruce confirmed. “We just need to make sure we take proper precautions.”
“I’ve already started making an extra batch of lotion to take with us,” Dick offered. “I know it’s not foolproof, but it’s the best option we have.”
Tim wrinkled his nose in displeasure. He hated depending on Dick’s lotion. It made his skin super dry and itchy. He only used it when he really needed to, such as on rainy days or missions that he knew would involve lots of water. His Red Robin suit was designed with a cowl to protect his head, but he still had to use the lotion on the small part of his face that was exposed. He also kept a small bottle in his desk at WE for emergencies. Unfortunately, however, the lotion only protected him from minor drops and splashes. If he were to fall in a pool or be left out in heavy rain for too long, he would grow a tail.
One day, Tim hoped to be able to control his transformations better. He'd been working on developing his magic abilities, but they were still mostly limited to manipulating water. Being a merman would just be so much simpler if he didn't have to worry about changing at the wrong moment. But for now, he was stuck avoiding water.
“Thank you, Dick,” Bruce nodded. “Do you already have a plan for bringing blood?”
“I say he puts it in a ketchup bottle and throws it into his checked luggage. TSA’ll never know the difference,” Jason snorted.
“That’s actually not too far off,” Dick said with a slight smirk. “I’m going to fill some ice packs with blood and put them in a small cooler inside my suitcase. I’ll put some other items in there too so it doesn't look suspicious then I’ll put a spell over it to keep everything cool until we get there. I did it plenty of times with my parents while we were traveling with the circus. So no worries there. Next order of business?”
“Yeah, B, we haven't fretted over the Demon Brat yet.”
“Tt, I do not require any ‘fretting’, Todd,” Damian snapped. “Unless someone attempts to trap me in a net made of Sphinx hair, I am in no danger. And unlike the rest of you, I have complete control over my abilities and therefore do not foresee any problems keeping them a secret.”
Jason rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “Unless you start molting again. That shit was nasty. Bruce was this close to putting you on Accutane.”
Damian growled and threw a pillow at Jason with deadly accuracy. It hit the older boy right in the face, causing him to sit up with a cry of indignation.
“You little runt!”
“That’s enough, you two,” Bruce ordered. “All of you are going to have to get along if we want this trip to go smoothly.”
“Yeah, like that’ll ever happen,” Tim muttered.
“Oh c’mon, Timmy, don’t be so pessimistic,” Jason sneered. “I mean, a vampire, a werewolf, a merman, and a dragon traveling to a tropical island during the full moon? What could possibly go wrong?”
Tim snorted. “That sounds like the premise for a cringey movie.”
“So does a lonely old man collecting cryptid children and raising them to fight crime,” his brother laughed. “Our whole lives are a cringey movie.”
Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose. “In my defense, I didn’t do it on purpose. It just turned out that way.”
“I still think you’ve got some mystic shit going on,” Tim pointed out. “I mean, the mathematical probability of four of your five children randomly being supernatural entities when most of mankind doesn’t even know we exist? Impossible. Nope. I don’t believe that for a second. The only logical explanation is that you have some kind of magic in your blood that acts as a beacon that draws us in subconsciously.”
Bruce looked tired. “Tim, we’ve been over this. There’s no magic in my blood. Constantine checked me himself.”
Tim shook his head. “I still don’t buy it.
Tim did not feel good.
The flight had taken forever, and even though they were traveling on the luxurious Wayne Enterprises private jet, Tim found it very hard to relax. It had been too long since he had been in the water, and he was beginning to feel dehydrated. No amount of water he drank seemed to help.
By the time they finally landed, Tim was absolutely miserable. He had only been able to sleep a few hours on the plane, leaving him exhausted and utterly jet-lagged. His mouth felt incredibly dry, and he could hardly walk with how lightheaded he felt. He was just thankful that someone from the hotel was taking care of their luggage because there was no way he could have handled it on his own.
It got even worse once they got off the plane.
Tim was able to make it down the ramp without too much trouble, but once he touched the ground an overwhelming wave of dizziness hit him and caused him to stumble. He would have fallen, but Jason caught his arm.
“Whoa, easy there, Timbo. You good?”
Tim nodded weakly then winced as his head started pounding. He needed water now. And of course, the fact that they were on an island surrounded by the clearest, bluest water Tim had ever seen wasn't helping. All he wanted to do was jump into the ocean and explore its depths while his body rehydrated.
Dick, having seen the exchange, pulled a water bottle out of his backpack and handed it to Tim. “Drink this. It should help until we get to the hotel.”
Tim mustered a thanks and took the bottle. He tried to make himself drink it slowly in order to make it last, but it was gone by the time they reached the car. The drive to the hotel was uneventful. The overly cheery hotel employee who had come to pick them up blabbered on about things to do on the island and how much fun they were going to have. Bruce and Dick humored him with polite responses, but the rest of the Wayne clan remained silent. Tim saw Jason roll his eyes several times at the guy’s enthusiasm, but Dick would always glare at him to prevent any sarcastic comments. Beside Tim in the backseat, Damian had his headphones on in an obvious attempt to block out the chatter completely.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
“Don’t worry,” their escort assured, “daytime showers are common this time of year. They don’t last long most of the time, though, so you’ll still have plenty of time for fun in the sun!”
Tim’s stomach dropped. Of course it had started to rain. They were nearing their hotel, too, so there was no way Tim could hope to wait it out. Before he could panic too much, his phone buzzed.
Don’t worry. I already checked and the resort has a covered drop-off area in front of the lobby. You’ll be fine, his screen read. It was a message from Dick. Tim looked up and saw his eldest brother giving him one of his signature carefree smiles. It was enough to make him relax a little. At least if the drop-off area was covered he wouldn’t have to apply any lotion. With how dehydrated he already was, it would likely not end well.
When they pulled up to the drop-off area of the Reef View Hotel, employees rushed forward to collect their luggage. Tim was the last one out of the car, his weakened state making his movements slow and clumsy. It was still raining, but they were completely dry under their cover. Tim looked at the precipitation longingly. He had an irrational desire to run out into the parking lot and allow the water to soak him to the bone, but he quickly pushed the thought away.
“C’mon, Tim, we’ll get you fixed up once we’re in our room,” Dick assured, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. Tim nodded and allowed himself to be led inside.
Jennifer, the employee that showed them up to their room, was thankfully more subdued than their driver had been. She seemed to better understand the term “jet-lag” and therefore kept the conversations to a minimal. Tim spent the entire elevator ride up to the nineteenth floor leaning heavily against the railing. His abdominal muscles had begun to cramp which made him feel nauseous, but he forced himself not to grimace. Once they were in their room, he could take a bath and rehydrate. He just needed to make it a few more minutes.
“Here we are, gentlemen. I’m confident you will find our Presidential Suite to your liking,” Jennifer said as the elevator doors opened. “Now, I’m sure you all are very tired after your long flight, so I won’t take up much more of your time. I’m just going to give you a quick overview of the Presidential Suite. You’ll notice that the living area, dining room, and kitchenette are on the lower level while the bedrooms are on the upper level. You also have a private terrace here on the lower level with an amazing outdoor BBQ and plunge pool…”
After the words “plunge pool,” Tim stopped paying attention. His eyes drifted out the glass doors to the terrace and settled yearningly on the inviting water. The pool seemed to be calling out to him – begging him to come and enjoy the cool tranquility it would provide. It took all of his willpower to stay still. He just needed this woman to stop talking.
Bruce, thankfully, was way ahead of him.
“Thank you for all of your help, Jennifer, but my sons and I can take it from here,” he said with one of his dazzling smiles. He slipped two Australian hundred-dollar bills into her hand and gave her a wink. Jennifer blushed slightly and nodded. She hurried her fellow employees who had brought their luggage up back into the elevator then boarded herself.
“If there is anything we can get you all to make your stay more comfortable, please let us know. Enjoy your time here on Hamilton Island!” she said cheerfully.
Once the elevator doors had closed and the Wayne clan was alone, Bruce breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, glad that’s over. How are you feeling, Tim?”
Tim licked his cracking lips. “Dry.”
Bruce frowned. “You’d better get upstairs and in some water, then. Are you guys feeling up for lunch? I can have something ordered.”
“Actually, Bruce, I’d rather just take a nap and worry about food later. I’m exhausted,” Dick said with a yawn. The other three nodded in agreement.
“That’s fine,” Bruce assured. “I’m going to call the venue and get my schedule for tomorrow. Then I’ll call Barbara and make sure everything is going smoothly in Gotham. I’ll wake you all up in a couple hours so we can eat. Are you okay to walk by yourself, Tim?”
“‘M fine, B. Or at least I will be.”
His father nodded. “Okay. Just let me know if you guys need anything.”
With that, Tim and his brother gathered their luggage and trudged upstairs. Jason carried Tim’s for him since he could hardly handle his own weight, and they all walked behind him in case he fell. The four of them were sharing one room while Bruce had the master to himself. Their room had two queen beds and its own bathroom along with access to the upper floor’s balcony which they would share with Bruce. Of course, there had been plenty of fighting at first – mainly on Damian’s part – over all four of them sharing one room, but eventually a peace had been reached. Dick had even volunteered to be the one to share a bed with Damian since that combination was the least likely to end in someone getting killed.
When they entered their room, Tim’s knees buckled. His body was simply too dehydrated to function properly. Jason dropped his stuff on the floor and helped Tim get to the bed while Dick went into the bathroom and started filling the tub.
“Damian, grab a water bottle out of the fridge over there,” Jason ordered. Damian rolled his eyes but complied anyway. He tossed the bottle to Jason who wiped the condensation off with his shirt and handed it to Tim. Tim emptied the thing in less than ten seconds, thankful for the meager relief it provided.
“How are we coming on the bathtub, Dick?” Jason called.
“It’s gonna take a few minutes to fill, Jay. It’s pretty big,” Dick replied, “but maybe we should go ahead and stick him in. It can finish filling with him inside.”
“Good idea,” Jason said then turned to Tim. “Can you walk?”
Tim nodded and allowed Jason to pull him up. He was able to take two steps before his legs gave out again. Jason caught him and shoved an arm around Tim’s waist for support then helped him into the bathroom. Dick pulled Tim’s t-shirt over his head then, with Jason’s help, lowered him into the half-filled bathtub.
The water soaked Tim’s skin around his torso and through his sweatpants. A few seconds passed before a familiar tingling feeling came over his entire body. Everything glowed white for a moment as his body transformed. When it was all over, Tim’s legs had merged to form a tail with sparkling blue scales that matched the color of his eyes. He also had fins protruding from his forearms and gills spouting from his neck. Once his body had fully adjusted to being in mer-form, he moved his tail to position it right under the faucet. The streaming water felt like heaven to his dehydrated body.
“I still don’t understand what happens to his pants when he changes,” Jason said, shaking his head. “That ability would certainly make my life more convenient.”
Dick chuckled and clapped Jason on the shoulder. “At least you have no shame, Jay.”
“Hey, when you’ve got a body this nice, there’s no reason to be ashamed.”
Tim smiled a bit at the exchange then noticed Damian was standing in the doorway with his toiletries bag. He cleared his throat loudly to get the others’ attention then said, “Seeing as Drake will be occupying this bathroom indefinitely, I am going to go shower in Father’s room. I will return shortly.”
“Try not to empty the mini fridge while you’re in there,” Jason snickered. Damian glared at him then left the room in a huff.
Seeing that the tub was full, Tim used his hydrokinesis to turn off the faucet. He leaned his head back against the tub and gave a relieved sigh – he already felt a hundred times better.
“Thanks for helping me out, guys, I really owe you one,” he said.
Dick smiled. “Don’t mention it. After all, that’s what family’s for.”
“Yeah and with the full moon tomorrow night, I’m sure you’ll get plenty of chances to pay us back,” Jason added.
“Do you have a plan yet?”
Jason shrugged. “Survive the night and try not to eat anyone.”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay cooped up in here the whole time?” Dick asked.
“I mean, it’s definitely not ideal, and you all will probably have to deal with Grumpy Jason on Tuesday, but I’ve definitely changed in worse circumstances.”
“We also need to make sure we put the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door so the maid doesn't come in in the morning. I don’t want to have to explain why Jason is sleeping on the floor naked,” Tim pointed out.
“Who said I was sleeping on the floor, Ariel? Half of that bed is mine.”
Tim rolled his eyes. “Jason, your full-wolf form is the size of a small grizzly bear. There’s no way both of us can fit. Even if we could, I am not sleeping next to you when I know you’re going to be naked in the morning. That’s just weird. And on top of that, you shed. The last thing we need is to have housekeeping think we snuck a dog into the hotel.”
“That’s why B always packs a handheld vacuum,” Dick reminded with a grin. “Besides, we’re Waynes. People expect weird shit from us. It’s part of our charm.”
Jason nodded in approval then yawned. “I don’t know about you guys, but I really am tired. I’m gonna take a shower then hit the hay for a while.”
“I could use some sleep, too,” Dick agreed. “You can go after Damian. I’ll take a shower once you’re done.”
Jason, who had already left the bathroom to get his stuff out of his suitcase, came back in with his shower bag and a change of clothes. “Who said I was taking a shower in Bruce’s room? I don’t wanna have to wait until the Demon Brat is done,” he said, setting his stuff on the counter.
“So you’re just gonna shower with me sitting right here?” Tim asked incredulously.
Jason raised an eyebrow. “No one said you had to look. And besides, there’s a wall between the shower and the tub. You won’t even be able to see me. Don’t be such a prude.”
Tim groaned. “Whatever. Dick, can you bring my shower bag in here so I can wash up?”
Dick nodded and left the bathroom to get Tim’s stuff. When he returned, Jason had already stripped himself down to his boxers.
“Should I even bother shutting the door?” Dick snorted.
Jason turned on the water in the shower and shrugged. “It’s your world, Dracula. I’m just living in it. Do whatever you want.”
Dick let out a breathy laugh. “Right, well I’m just gonna go wait on Damian then. You two have fun.”
“You may wanna avert your precious little eyes now, Timmy. I’ll let you know when it’s safe,” Jason cooed.
Tim stuck his tongue at his brother then shoved his head under the water. He allowed his gills to open and his eyes to slowly drift closed. The energy high he received after getting in the water had worn off, allowing his exhaustion from earlier to come back with vengeance. He still felt infinitely better than he did before getting in the tub, but the long flight and the subsequent dehydration had drained him of all of his energy. He vaguely heard the shower door closing and Jason making some sarcastic comment, but he couldn't quite decipher it from under the water. Tim tried to make himself sit up, but his body wouldn't obey his brain’s commands. He couldn't even get his eyes to open. He was just too tired.
Oh well, he thought. I was planning on taking a nap anyway…
“Uh, Tim? You there?” Jason asked. He hadn’t heard a sound out of his brother since he’d gotten in the shower. When he still didn't receive an answer, Jason opened the shower door and leaned around the wall to get a good view of the bathtub.
He was asleep.
At least, Jason assumed he was asleep. After all, it was impossible for a merman to drown in the bathtub, right? Figuring he’d probably get blamed if Tim did somehow drown, Jason reached out and was about to yank on Tim’s tail fin when he noticed a few bubbles surface near Tim’s face.
Yep, he was definitely asleep.
Now that he was sure he wouldn't get blamed for murder, Jason found the situation very amusing. He couldn't wait to show Dick (he couldn't care less about the Demon Brat).
He finished his shower then threw on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Tim was still fast asleep in the tub and showed no signs of waking any time soon. The poor kid must have been seriously drained to have fallen asleep underwater like that.
When Jason walked into the bedroom, he saw Damian curled up on the bed in his dragon form. His dark green scales sparkled slightly with the sunlight pouring in from the window. Since he was still a young adolescent, Damian’s dragon form was only about the size of a panther. Jason had only seen Ra’s transform once, but he remembered how massive the elder al Ghul was – the size of an elephant, at the very least.
“You look comfy,” Jason observed, plopping down on the bed closer to the bathroom.
Damian glared at him, his reptilian eyes glowing bright yellow. “I simply needed to stretch my wings, Todd. They were quite stiff after the long flight.”
Damian’s voice in dragon form was slightly deeper than his normal voice. His Arabic accent was also thicker with a sort of hissing quality on certain consonants. But Jason didn't dare comment on it. He had learned the hard way that pissing off a dragon was a surefire way to get your eyebrows singed off.
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me, kid. How long has Dick been in the shower?”
“Approximately three minutes. I expect he won’t return for awhile. He was moving quite sluggishly.”
“He probably needs blood. I don’t think he's had any since before we left the manor. I’ll make sure he drinks when he gets back.”
Damian nodded curtly then laid his head back down. Jason leaned back onto his pillow and allowed his eyes to droop closed. His body wanted to fall asleep, but Jason forced himself to stay awake until Dick got back. He could hear the shower running in the next room and Dick’s slow, thumping heartbeat. The sound made Jason frown. Dick’s heart rate was usually about the same as a regular human’s, but it slowed down dramatically when he hadn't fed in too long. He wasn't in the danger zone yet, but he would be soon if he didn't get some blood.
“Dick, you need to hurry up and come get a drink,” Jason muttered, knowing the vampire could hear him. “Your heart is slowing down too much.”
“I’m fine, Jay,” his brother replied softly. “It’s just the jet-lag. I’ll be out in a minute.”
Somewhat satisfied with Dick’s answer, Jason moved his focus out of Bruce’s room and allowed his senses to move downstairs. Bruce was still on the phone with the venue and – to Jason’s annoyance – using his “Brucie” voice. Jason knew Bruce only acted like an airhead to keep people from suspecting he was Batman, but it still unnerved him. Even back in the good ole days before his untimely demise, Jason had never found his place among the snooty elite. He was a street kid, after all. All the smiling and ass-kissing didn’t suit him.
Outside their room, Jason could hear rain hitting the rails of the balcony. Fresh, crisp air mixed with the saltiness of the ocean drifted in and swirled through his nostrils. It was nothing like the polluted atmosphere of Gotham City.
Suddenly, a door closed and yanked Jason out of his thoughts. He lazily opened his eyes and saw Dick wiping his wet hair with a towel.
“Figured you were out too,” Dick said, his voice was barely above a whisper. Jason looked over and saw Damian fast asleep, still in his dragon form.
“Had to make sure you didn't pass out without feeding,” Jason replied.
“Good point. How’s Tim doing?”
Jason let out a snort. “He passed out about thirty seconds after you left.”
Dick raised an eyebrow and opened the door to the bathroom. “Wow, that’s pretty impressive. Do you think we should wake him up?”
“Nah, I say leave him in there. He probably needs it,” Jason replied. “You can take Tim’s side of the bed for now. Baby Bat’s taking up your whole bed, and I’m sure as hell not waking him up.”
“Fair enough,” Dick agreed. He reached into his suitcase and pulled out a small cooler. Jason saw him take an ice pack out and eye it hungrily. Dick’s eyes flashed red and his fangs shot out. Knowing Dick didn’t like to be watched, Jason kept his gaze fixed onto his phone.
When he was finished, Dick let out a long yawn. “Well, now that everything’s settled, I think it’s time to join the other two in dreamland.”
Jason muttered his agreement as he wiggled his way under the covers. He heard Dick slide the curtains shut, causing the room to get much darker because he got in bed beside him. The last things to reach Jason’s senses as he drifted off to sleep were the steady, reassuring heartbeats of his brothers.