Chapter Text
Damian made his way carefully down the hallway to peek into the nest where his mother was curled around Todd. Mother had moved him into their nest yesterday in preparation for his heat, calmly explaining to Damian that omegas need a safe space to nest during this time; that that is why the league omegas were protected so fiercely and kept hidden away in the compound. Pride had bloomed in his chest that Todd would consider their nest safe enough for him; would consider them powerful enough to protect him during this time. Afterall, Todd was special. Omegas were rarely trained to fight, but Todd was chosen to receive instruction from both Grandfather and Mother upon his arrival several months ago. And, if what mother had told him was correct, Todd had even been apprenticed to his father before coming to the League.
But nothing could prepare Damian for the smell of distress that poured off of Todd.
Mother let out a purr and ran a hand through Todd's hair as the omega let out another whimper. "It's alright Jason, you are safe," his mother murmured as Todd shifted closer to her once more. Something twisted in Damian. Todd was supposed to be a warrior. Was supposed to be so amazing that it caught Batman's attention and Grandfather's; even though he was an omega. So amazing that he had been gifted with healing from the Lazarus Pit after arriving at the League and had the honor of staying with the head family - one of the safest places in the world. So why was he crying?
He must have made a sound because Mother looked towards him and smiled. "Damian, habibi. Come here." She held out a hand to him and Damian scurried over and pressed against his mother's other side. "Couldn't sleep?" she whispered, and Damian nodded.
She wrapped an arm around him and scented him as he peered around her at Todd, "What is wrong, Mother? Why is he crying like that?" Mother's lips pressed together, and Damian charged forward, "You said he needed a safe space to nest. Is our nest not safe? Are we not safe here?"
Mother pulled him closer, shushing and purring at him. "Calm your mind, Damian. We are safe." She ran her other hand over Todd, "Things are.... more complicated than that for Jason. The Pit has accelerated his presentation at a speed he was not mentally prepared for. He is also very far away from his old nest; from those he used to consider pack".
Damian raised his chin, "So we must bring his pack to him! He will feel better then, right?"
Mother let out a laugh, "It is not that simple, habibi. But..." She eyed him then looked to Todd. "You might be able to help him."
Damian's heart soared as Mother shifted him closer to Todd. She swiped two fingers across his scent glands, then extended her hand towards Todd. "Jason," she called softly. Todd moved closer, his eyes snapping open. He shifted up and gently sniffed Mother's fingers before looking to Damian. Damian held still as those acid green eyes - so similar to his own - searched for something in his.
Todd shifted around Mother, his sounds changing to a cooing that made Damian want to move towards him. Mother smiled before offering Damian to the omega. "Gentle, Jason. You would not want to hurt the son of your alpha."
Damian didn't resist as he was taken into Todd's arms, the omega aggressively scenting him while purring. His mother laid a hand on Todd's arm, his eyes snapping from Damian to her. She murmured something above him, but Damian had a hard time paying attention. The scent of omega was all around him and he barely registered Todd shifting to lay down. Damian shifted to a more comfortable position, wrapping his arms around Todd and nuzzling into his chest. Though Todd might have trouble accepting he was safe, Damian felt like he had found the safest place in the entire world.
Jason shifted and stretched, almost immediately flinching as his whole body screamed at him. Almost every muscle felt like it was on the verge of cramping, and it felt like his guts were twisted into the wrong configuration. "Jason?" a soft voice spoke behind him.
He slowly turned his head - neck whining at him - to gaze at Talia. She had positioned herself along his back, staying between him and the door; her soft beta scent billowing out into the room. It wasn't until he tried to turn towards her that he registered the weight in his arms. He twisted back sharply and stared at the... at the pup in his arms. Even worse, he recognized this pup. He tried to search his murky memories; tried to figure out when he lost control enough to go and snatch Talia's pup.
He started moving his arms away when Damian gave a grumble and burrowed further into him. He just laid there frozen, hands hovering over the small pup. His omega screamed at him to curl up again, to wrap Damian in his scent. But the logical part of his brain was screaming to get away, to run before Talia hurt him for touching her pup. But Talia's hands gently covered his, forcing them to lower and take Damian in his arms again. He still lay there, stiff as a board, as Talia moved to run a hand through his hair, "Relax, Jason. You will wake him if you don't".
Jason fell into the easy command, his sore muscles releasing as he settled back into the nest, his grip still cautious on Damian. His thought were disordered and his body still hurt, aching in a way he had never felt before. Talia shifted behind him into a sitting position, her arms reaching around to pull him against her leg. Jason swallowed, "I'm sorry."
Talia huffed, "There is nothing to be sorry about. It is an omega's duty to care for the pack pups."
"But I'm not your pack..."
"You may not be mine, but you are Damian's. And he is yours." Jason scrunched his face, trying to get his brain to turn back on to figure out that statement. Talia's hand just started combing through his hair again, "Rest, Jason. You will figure it out soon enough." So Jason followed her command and drifted off once again.