Work Text:
Jason was a starved kid, food was precious. So he ate every chance he got, ate until he was too full (if he could). Sometimes, Jason had to go few days without food. His mother was sick, he had to take care of her and himself. Maybe just canned food, some nutrient-poor biscuits he pickpocketed at the store, whatever kept him alive.
After his mother's death, everything was worse. He stole tires, car parts and got money from the car-parts dealer. If he was in a good mood, Jason would luckily get some candies, or biscuits as tips.
Even after he was taken in by Bruce, that habit remained the same.
Alfred the butler made plenty of delicious food. Beefsteak, soup, lasagna, lobster, pie,
.
Jason scarfed down every bit of his food that Alfred gave, he didn't care if he was full or not. He had to eat. What if Bruce kicked him out tomorrow? Jason ate, and hid some apples, bananas or breads in his pocket.
Bruce, as an almost no parenting-experience-at-all, didn't think much of it.
Alfred thought Jason was just a starved kid, so he didn't feel worry about it. He just cooked, and gave Jason more if the boy finished all his food in a short time. He thought Jason was still hungry. Until he noticed Jason's pockets had crumbs and sort of.
Alfred told Bruce.
Bruce asked if Jason was still hungry. Jason answered no, and said everything was completely fine.
Alfred, of course, did not believe. So he kept his eyes on Jason. He noticed Jason hid food in his pockets, noticed Jason ate more than he could. He could tell by the way Jason's face looked like he almost vomitted, but he still ate, and ate.
It took time to change that. Not really. Jason still had that habit, but it wasn't as worse as it had been.
.
Dick brought Jason and Duke out to eat chili hotdog, as an brother-bonding activity (Dick said). Stupid brothers' behaviour: eating contest
Dick ordered for him, Duke and Jason each one 5 chili hotdogs.
First chili hotdog: Enjoyable, delicious. Second: No problem, still good. Third: Dick felt a bit full, and started losing his appetite. Fourth: Dick hardly finished it. He gave up. He couldn't eat the last one, he couldn't even try. The smell of it started sickening him. Usually, Dick eats maximum two chili hotdogs. Four is his limit.
Jason? Jason finished his 5 chili hotdogs, looking like he was about to die from being too full.
Duke finished all to, it was not so hard for him. He loves chili hotdog and wouldn't waste any of it.
Seemed like Dick was the only one couldn't finish his chili hotdogs.
Jason looked at the last chili hotdog in Dick's foil tray.
Dick shook his head.
"I'm full, Jay. We should get home now."
"Me too. Let's head back." Duke nodded.
Jason sighed, picked up the last one and ate it. No, he wasn't hungry. He was full as hell.
"You don't have to eat it if you don't want to." Dick placed a hand on Jason's shoulder.
"Don't waste your food, big bird."
"I can still eat it. Need some help?" Duke asked, took the hotdog from Jason's hand and split it in half with his hands. Duke used to live in a financially struggling state too. He kinda understood why Jason didn't wanna waste it.
Jason hardly finished it.
Dick rarely suggested eating contest with Jason after that. Because Jason would always finish it, even if he wanted or not.
.
Tim can't tolerate too spicy food. He accidentally ordered wrong ramen, and it was spicy. Even the soup looked red. Tim hesitated, looked at Jason's bowl, then looked at his, took a deep breath, picked up his chopsticks.
"Wanna switch?" Jason asked, the younger boy looked unhappy with his spicy ramen. Jason can tolerate spicy, but he doesn't prefer it at all.
"No. It's fine, I can eat it." Tim immediately responded. He ordered it, and he had to eat it his own, not switching because he didn't like it.
Jason rolled his eyes, and switched his bowl to Tim.
"Just shut up and eat, Timbo." Jason ignored Tim's protest, and ate the spicy ramen.
"..sorry." Tim felt a bit guilty. He didn't intent to ruin their brother bonding time.
"The hell are you sorry for? It's fine. I said shut up, and eat. " Jason snorted.
They still hangout for some beers after that (dont tell Bruce.)
.
Damian didn't like beans. He just hated them for no reason at all. Maybe it was because he hated its texture, or its smell, or everything about it.
His beef was served with beans. Damian didn't usually waste his food. He wasn't taught to do so. But he was with Jason. So maybe eating things he didn't like wasn't needed anymore. Jason would always eat things Damian couldn't, even if Damian didn't ask him too, even if Jason liked it or not.
Damian secretly appreciated that about Jason, and he would rather die than actually showing how he felt.
But it's okay, because Jason had no problem helping his siblings, especially his baby brother.
.
The girls loved Jason. He would have dinner, and dessert after dinner with Steph, Cass and Babs once every month.
Jason loved hanging out with them. Steph always tried to read his classic books to talk to him about them, and she's like an annoying sister, she asked about spanish homework, about literature, literally everything.
Babs and Cass are like big sis to him. He simply felt safe and comfortable being around them.
But of course, Steph always ordered more than she could eat for dessert. She ate with her eyes. She ordered a giant banana split with like 8 ice cream balls on it. And she definitely didn't finish that.
"Jason. Help." Steph whined. She only finished like 4 and a half of them. And Steph swore, if she ate even just one more ice cream ball, she would die for real.
"You always order more than you could eat." Jason sighed, snapped Steph's forehead.
"You already hit me. Now you have to eat for me! The snap took my ability to eat." Steph gave a goofy grin.
"Can someone help me with Steph's banana split?" Jason stared at Babs and Cass.
"Full." Cass shook her head.
"Me too." Babs nodded. "Don't eat it if you don't want to."
"You said it just like Dickie." Jason chuckled. "So no help? That's harsh."
Jason sighed again, and just took Steph's dessert and ate the rest of them. He didn't mind. He loved dessert, and he loved his sisters.
"You know you are no longer a scrawny little boy on the street with no food to eat, right?" Bruce rubbed his nose's bridge.
"Yes, I am well-aware of that?" Jason looked away from his book as Bruce spoke and Jason tilted his head.
"You don't need to finish any leftover food or accidental-ordered food of others'."
"I'm well-aware of that too." Jason paused, his voice going smaller. "But, I like eating with my family, and I don't mind helping them with their food. I would love to do that."
Bruce, froze for a second, and just stayed quiet when Jason went back to reading his book.