Work Text:
Jason resisted the urge for about a three months before he caved. He’d figured at first Bruce saw a feisty little pup willing to hit Batman with a tire iron and figured Jason musta been an alpha. It just kind of sucked for Bruce that sometimes omegas also stole tires and hit vigilantes with tire irons.
He’d been real nervous at first. Most alphas would realize they had a little ‘mega in their clutches and get…ideas. But Bruce wasn’t like that, and it only took a couple weeks for Jason to realize he was…safe. Ish.
Ish being the operative suffix. He knew Bruce wasn’t some sick freak now, but he musta been trying to replace one alpha pup with another. Jason didn’t want Bruce to feel shortchanged or like Jason being an omega was going to get in the way of being Robin.
Then being an omega did get in the way of being Robin. Jason could suppress his instincts to seek comfort and protection from his pack, he could fight the urge to build a nest in the lovely sunbeam that seeped through the stained glass window in the library every afternoon, but he couldn’t fight biology.
His heat hit right before patrol. Jason, stupidly, decided to go on patrol anyways. He’d been fine till Bruce realized Jason was dizzy and kept trying to steal his cape, and just like that, the jig was up.
Bruce carted Jason back to Wayne Manor and made a really shitty nest. Jason, sure that he was going to be kicked back to the streets or foster care, had sullenly fixed the nest and laid down to take a very sad nap.
It was hard to take a sad nap when Batman was petting your hair and feeding you popsicles, so Jason took a happy nap instead.
An experience he hoped to replicate, cause now he knew Bruce was sorta okay with Jason being a ‘mega even if it got in the way, and Jason wasn’t going to be in the way. No one came to this corner of the library except Jason (and Alfred, but only for dusting).
Jason had found bought the blankets himself with his allowance, so Bruce couldn’t even get mad that Jason was using his stuff because Bruce only owned the corner, he didn’t own the blankets or the sunbeam.
Jason laid the nesting pad down first carefully. It was basically a giant round pillow with loops to tuck blankets into to make the nest more stable, so it could really be thrown around recklessly and be fine.
The thought made Jason’s pulse race and his stomach churn. A good nesting pad was hella expensive, and it was huge—Alfred had to help him lift it into and out of the car last time they went grocery shopping—but Jason had a lot of money now from Bruce. He could afford small luxuries that would make his nest better.
He was pretty sure his heart would figure that out eventually. He could relax once he laid down and everything was fine.
It wasn’t like he really needed the money for anything else, anyways. He didn’t need to pay rent here (he’d tried) or pay for food (tried that too) so he had a lot of disposable income. He kinda woulda thought having extra money and nothing important to spend it on woulda made him feel better, but…it didn’t. Yet.
Jason forced himself to push through the stress before the bad smell of anxiety got all over his nest. He’d wanted to build a nest here since he’d been kidnapped. He could curl up and read in the multi-colored sunbeam while breathing in the scent of old books.
Jason considered his blankets a minute before realizing that obviously the blue one had to go first. How could he have possibly thought about putting the red blanket on the bottom. The red blanket was velour. Who puts velour on the bottom of a nest?
Jason put the soft blue blanket top the nesting pad and tucked it into the loops, then he laid the yellow blanket over that one. He put experimented a couple times with the order of the pink basket-weave blanket, the red velour blanket, and the big fluffy white duvet, but he finally realized that the pink blanket went next and the duvet went on top. The red blanket sat outside the nest for moral support.
After his heat, Bruce had gifted Jason a stuffed fox that Jason was way too old for. Jason had protested that he wasn’t a baby, and Bruce had showed him all the studies on the emotional benefit of giving omegas soft things that smelled like their pack.
Todd (Jason gave the fox his old name since he wasn’t using it anymore and he didn’t want it to go to waste) had a bunch of little bandanas. Bruce would scent one or keep one in his pocket all day so it got all his scent on it, then Jason could put the bandana back on Todd.
Jason felt a little silly when he buried his nose in Todd’s fur and drew in a deep breath, but the scent did actually slow the beat of his racing heart.
Any good nest was protected, so Jason quickly spun the red velour blanket into a little nest and set Todd in it. Any predators or enemies would smell the scent of a fierce alpha and know that Jason wasn’t alone.
Jason flopped down on his nest, groaning in satisfaction. Ugh, the nesting pad was so worth it. After a few moments melting of happiness, Jason burrowed under the heavy duvet and ugh. He’d never been so comfortable ever.
Beneath the warm blankets, basking in the light of the sunbeam, guarded by a stuffed fox, Jason though he was probably the happiest he’d ever been in his whole life.
Happiness complete, Jason patted Todd between the ears. “Goodnight, Todd.”
Todd said nothing, but he steadfastly stood guard in his little velour nest in the puddle of colored sunlight as Jason curled up and fell asleep.