Work Text:
Dick's growl is the only thing that alerts Jason to his presence, and is also the only reason the asshole who'd gone for a submission bite on Jason's neck (which is protectively reinforced so it wouldn't have worked anyway) doesn't end up with his throat ripped out.
Jason twists and puts himself between Dick and the asshole in question while also shoving the asshole to the floor. He throws an arm out across Dick's chest to stop him following to the floor, but it doesn't stop the audible click of Dick’s teeth as he snaps in the asshole’s direction, nor the absolutely bone-chilling growl that splits the air between them. Jason's half tempted to just let him have at it, but he really doesn't want anymore lectures from Bruce about Dick's protective-possessive biting habits.
"I really should let him rip your throat out." Jason drawls, as the asshole rolls over to look up at them.
He takes one look at Dick - at the black suit with dark blue accents and the black veins spidering across his pale skin - and tries to scoot backwards on his hands while letting out the most pathetic whimper Jason thinks he's ever heard.
Jason pulls a couple of zip ties out of his belt and quickly immobilises him, who's attention is now completely on Dick's still bared teeth. He sends Babs an alert so she can inform the local PD to come by and pick him up, and then he gives Dick a look he knows Dick will be able to read, even through the helmet, before grappling up onto a nearby rooftop. Dick follows, landing on silent feet behind him as he pulls his helmet off and shakes his curls out.
Dick's on him immediately; hands running all over him to check for any injuries or compromises in his armour. Jason lets him, knows it's something that helps Dick's alpha hind-brain calm down, especially when another alpha just had their teeth so close to his omega's neck.
"'m fine, ‘Wing." Jason assures him, catching his hands and threading their fingers together.
"Too close." Dick says, his voice catching on a couple of the syllables, even after all these years.
"That's what the armour is for." Jason reminds him, knowing that doesn't make much of a difference. Dick's instincts have always been a little skewed because of how young he was when the court took him, he'd never been taught to or had the opportunity to learn how to reign in the more possessive and protective aspects of an alpha's nature, more so since he already lost Jason once. And even more so now since they mated the year before.
Dick gives a half-growl, displeased, just as Jason knew he would be.
Jason sighs. "C'mon, I don't think anyone else will try anything tonight, let's head home."
Dick's pretty much the embodiment of a cat. The court might have named him Talon, but the occasional bird call he uses instead of normal speech and the golden irises are where the resemblance ends. It's hard to gain his trust, hard to break through the defences he learnt with the court and built up himself in the aftermath. But once you're there, he's incredibly protective and affectionate, and most of the traits listed in Bruce's pre-court file for him start to shine through.
Some days, Jason reads that file and wonders what would have happened if Bruce had been faster, if he managed to take Dick home like he planned before the court swooped in. But most of the time, Jason doesn't let himself dwell on the what ifs. The life they're building together is enough, even if both of their pasts seem to hang over them like an executioner's axe sometimes.
The only thing Jason wants to change is the attempts at protective biting. It's an issue, not just because of blood borne diseases, but also because bite marks could be a way to identify them.
He's not the only one with that concern.
"I was looking through your footage and we need to talk about Dick's habit of attempting to bite anyone who gets too close to you." Bruce says without even a hello as he sits down at the kitchen island, across from where Jason's kneading bread.
He's only in the manor because on Saturdays Dick teaches the baby birds tricks and techniques on the trapeze and gymnastics sets in the cave. He doesn't really appreciate being ambushed in the kitchen, but he has to admit that it is a pressing issue they need to solve. Doesn't mean he can't be petty first though.
"Hello to you too Bruce. I'm good, thank you for asking. Been quite the busy week. Yeah, it has, we repainted the spare room." Jason says, staring deadpan at him while he shifts uncomfortably in his seat.
"I am glad you're… redecorating ." Bruce eventually settles on with a sigh.
Jason snorts and starts kneading again.
"The issue still stands; Dick's propensity towards biting people is something we need a solution for." Bruce circles back.
Jason sighs. "I know. I've been thinking the same."
Jason's honestly surprised Bruce has come to him with this instead of just coming up with a solution on his own and trying to force it on them like he usually does. Jason knows he's trying - trying to improve and be the pack leader they actually need by listening to them rather than attempting to steamroll over their autonomy.
"Have you considered any possible solutions?" Bruce asks as Jason greases his mixing bowl and sets the bread dough back into it.
"A couple." Jason says as he covers the dough with a damp tea towel and puts it into the proving drawer. "Some feasible, some definitely not."
"And the one you think is most likely to work?" Bruce pushes, just like he used to when Jason was Robin.
"A helmet like mine, or some kind of face-mask." Jason sighs as he wipes down the sides. "Face-mask is more likely, he won't want his ears covered, he'll say the tech will dampen his senses."
Bruce hums. "I can throw together some blueprints, and then when you're done up here you can help me with the prototypes?"
Jason nods. "Yeah, okay. That sounds good."
Bruce nods and taps his hand on the counter twice before getting up and leaving. Jason watches before he goes back to cleaning up.
"You got a minute?" Jason asks as he walks under the set of high bars Dick's balancing on.
Dick drops down so his knees are hooked over the bar and then folds over backwards so he's hanging upside down like a bat with his face level with Jason's. It should be eerie with his pale skin and black veins, and the golden irises regarding him so closely, but Jason just feels something warm settle in his chest.
"You want to practice with me?" Dick asks, reaching out and grabbing Jason's jacket to pull him closer.
"Maybe later." Jason says with a smile as he relents and presses a kiss to Dick's upturned lips. He pulls back with a chuckle as Dick tries to pull him into a deeper kiss. " Later , I want to show you something."
Dick's eyes narrow slightly as he considers what it might be before he flips back up and then jumps down from the high bar. "What is it?"
Jason just smiles and takes his hand to lead him over to the workbenches at the other side of the cave. "Here." He picks up and holds out the face-mask he and Bruce have spent the last three days putting together. It's the same shade of dark blue that adorns the Nightwing suit, with black accents to further tie it in, and holds most of the tech Jason uses in his own helmet, including the visor interface and vocoder.
Dick's eyebrows scrunch as he takes it and looks it over. "For me?"
"Yeah." Jason sighs and runs a hand through his curls. "Look, I'm not going to mince words, the biting or attempted biting is a problem, Dickie."
Dick frowns. "It's instinct."
"I know. Which is why I think this will help. I'm worried about you contracting something your healing can't combat, but honestly, I didn't tell Bruce, but I also don't like the idea of you biting people that aren't me." Jason laughs as Dick's eyes narrow and he cocks his head like a bird.
"Jealous?" Dick asks, the corner of his lips tugging up into a smirk.
Jason returns it. "Maybe you aren't the only possessive bastard in this relationship."
Dick laughs, something that sounds eerie with the way his voice still catches every so often, but Jason honestly wouldn't have it any other way. "In that case, I think I can wear this."
"Thank you." Jason says, ducking down to press a kiss to the side of Dick's lips.
Dick hums and turns his head so he can kiss him properly. He nips at Jason's lips when they break apart. "If someone hurts you, I'll still rip their throat out."
Jason laughs, knowing Bruce won't like his answer. "I know. Same goes for you by the way."
Dick smiles in the wide way that always takes Jason's breath away. "I love you."
"I love you too."