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Jason hummed, gently swaying Tim in his arms. It’s been a few months since he first found the little chicklet out in the cold, and he was so glad to have him in his life. The Drakes had been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for child neglect and child abandonment. With the Drakes’ money, it would have taken longer, but with Bruce’s money… Well, Jason wouldn’t say he did things Bruce wouldn’t have approved of…
The Drakes aside, Jason turns his attention back to the little chicklet in his arms. Jason’s chicklet. His baby. Just thinking of it made a curl of possessive protectiveness surge in his chest, and he held his Timmy just a little tighter.
Still, his baby with downy little wings, continued to sleep on. Technically he wasn’t quite a baby, and he was technically Bruce’s baby since Jason was technically still, legally, dead… but if anyone ever tried to take Tim away from him, afterwards- they wouldn’t have their hand anymore.
Then, Jason remembers he had something to do. Dick had wanted him to check on the jade plant Wally had given him a few months prior.
With a mildly annoyed sigh, Jason brushes a gentle kiss against the crown of his chicklet’s head before setting him down in a mound of soft blankets and pillows. After ensuring that Tim wouldn’t suddenly roll off and fall to the floor, he leaves to search for the plant.
Tim awakens with a confused hum, his hand reaching up to rub at his bleary eyes. He yawns, his limbs splaying out as his wings and tail scatters the pillows and blankets onto the floor. He laid there for a few moments to regain his bearings, before he realized what he had done.
Fear spikes through his chest, and the chick throws himself onto the floor. A fearful chirp escapes his lips as he hurriedly piles the blankets and pillows back onto the couch as fast as his tiny limbs allowed.
Oh no, if Mother and Father return to a mess, then they would-
He pauses, a pang of misery replacing the fear as he remembers that, yeah, they abandoned him. They left him behind because he wasn’t good enough. And with that realization, the fear returns in full-force. If he doesn’t behave, then Jason might not want him too! If he was bad enough that his birth parents didn’t want him- and they were supposed to care for him until he was an adult- then what’s stopping Jason from deciding he was too much and leaving him behind too?
Tim gets up and looks around. Maybe… Maybe Jason had already left him?
He cries out, a calling sound reserved for a chick to their flock.
Jason doesn’t answer…
Did- did that mean he didn’t see Tim as flock anymore? Did Jason not want him? Was- was he bad? What did he do? He’ll fix it! If he’d done something bad, then he’ll fix it! Tim promises he’ll fix it, he just- he just needs Jason to come back.
A terrified whine leaves his throat, and Tim hurriedly scans the living room, his eyes burning as tears begin to blur his vision. Maybe if he tries to find Jason, he’ll let Tim explain before abandoning him? Yeah, that’s what he’ll do!
Jason cradles the potted plant in his arm, annoyance burning in his chest as he makes his way back into the living room. The vacation home wasn’t as big as the Waynes’ main manor, but it was still more than big enough for a little baby like Tim to get lost.
“Tim?” he calls, brows furrowing in concern when he sees the mound of blankets disturbed and tossed together with a distinct lack of chick, “Timmy? Darling, where are you?”
Jason sets the jade down, his worry slowly slipping into fear as he searches around the room for his missing chick, “Timmy! Baby, come out! If you come here, I’ll make you some blueberry muffins. I’ll even throw in the cranberry sauce you love!”
Still no response.
Jason, deciding to bite the bullet, calls Dick for some help.
Tim shoves into Bruce’s office, sniffling and tearing up. He’s basically searched the entire manor, and he still hasn’t found him!
That was it. Jason left him behind just like Mother and Father, and there was nothing Tim could do. At least this time, he’d left the door unlocked so Tim could stumble back into his bed and cry…
But where was his room?
Tim bites back a scared whine, looking around in confusion. This was why Jason left him. Tim was just a stupid little crybaby chick, and he couldn’t even get back to his own room!
He sobs, shoving himself into the corner of the office with a pitiful whimper. He was scared, alone, and he misses Jason.
Tim stifles another sob, his wings tenting over his head to block out the hum of the air conditioning and the blaring lights above.
He knew it was only a matter of time. Even if Jason had promised to never leave, everyone leaves in the end.
—
Dick ruffled his feathers and lashed his tail in worry. Jason was basically tearing the entire manor apart looking for the little chick, and Dick doesn’t even blame him. If it was his chick missing, then Dick thinks he’d be acting just the same. God knows Bruce did too.
“You look upstairs, and I’ll check downstairs,” Dick offered, wincing as Jason fixed him with eyes glowing green. His brother snarls wordlessly before shooting away with numerous beats of his wings.
With a sigh, Dick lashes his tail again before deciding to start with Bruce’s office. Jason had brought Tim in there multiple times, so the chick would theoretically know how to get there with ease.
He walked in and, strangely enough, the lights were already on.
Dick heads in further, and yup- there the baby was, pushed right into the corner of the office, just behind Bruce’s mahogany desk.
“Hey, buddy,” Dick calls gently, sitting down a few inches away from the shaking and crying chick, “what’s wrong?”
He was answered by a trembling warble, the sound was wholly and near-entirely miserable.
“Would you like a hug?” The chick nods vigorously before hurriedly crawling into Dick’s arms. He coos, wrapping his wings tight against the chick’s back, a low purr rumbling through his chest in an attempt to soothe the baby. “What’s wrong?”
“J-Jay left me,” Tim warbled weakly, the chick’s voice barely audible over the older’s purr.
“Oh, darling,” he sighed, “I promise he didn’t. He’s looking for you right now, honey.”
Tim sniffled, looking up with tear-stained cheeks, “R-really?”
“Yes,” Dick gave a soft smile, “come on, let’s go find him.”
“...O-Okay…”
Jason snarls, fear and anger burning in his chest as he searches desperately for his baby. Whoever dared to touch his child will pay.
“Jason!”
He hisses, whipping around to see-
“Tim!” the green clears abruptly, and he rushes forward to snatch his child out of Dick’s arms, “Oh, darling, where did you go? I was searching for you everywhere!”
“S-sorry,” the chick sniffled, nuzzling into Jason’s collar, “I t-thought you left me. Like- Like Mother a-and Father did…”
Jason coos, shoving away the burst of green at the mere mention of Jack and Janet Drake, “I would never leave you, Tim. You might not believe it now, but I promise- I promise - I will never, ever , leave you behind.”
“Okay,” Tim whispered, relaxing into Jason’s hold. He might not believe it just yet, but in time- Jason will make sure of it.
He will shower the chick with so much love that he will never doubt Jason’s care for him ever again.