Work Text:
Jett’s situation is more like an open secret, if you could even call it that.
Jett himself though, he doesn’t talk about it, not ever, really. It’s just not that hard to put two and two together. Not for kids like Lian, Jeffrey, Ezra and Eugene.
Not for people like Jason.
The Teen Titans had found out pretty early on. Certain things can only happen so many times before one gets suspicious. What teenager just gets to move about as freely as Jett does? Sleeping past noon? The tongue piercing? No way, any parent would approve of that.
(Lian had been the first to connect the dots. She’d been in his shoes once too, after all.)
For Jason, it becomes apparent after a few weeks of mentoring these kids. Where all the others mention their families at least once or twice, Jett never has anything to say. The boy is always wearing what they had all assumed was his hero outfit, but as it turns out it functions as his day to day outfit as well. He has no concept of a curfew, he never brings anything to eat, and shows up with a new piercing more often than Jason cares to keep track of.
To top it all off, Jett has now taken to loitering at Jason’s place. What kid with a loving home would do that?
Jason hasn’t brought it up with the boy yet. He hasn’t been involved with the group for that long, and it was clear that the other kids were looking out for Jett in their own ways. While Jason didn’t approve of kids shouldering that kind of responsibility, he wasn’t going to pry just yet.
Besides, he would have to wait for the right opportunity to talk to Jett without ticking him off anyway. It seemed the kid tolerated him well enough to stick around his place for now. He can’t ruin that.
It’s another one of those nights. After their meeting concluded, all the other Teen Titans left to go home to their families. All the other kids, except for Jett. When Jason walks back into what he calls his living room, he sees a mop of pink hair sticking out from behind the back of the couch. Jason just sighs.
“So, when are you gonna start decorating this dump?” Jett taunts as he turns around to face him. “This place is so lame.”
“It’s a temporary safe house. It’s supposed to be lame,” Jason fires back easily. He walks over to the coffee table, where the kids’ cups are still strewn around. He stacks them skillfully, before carrying them to the small kitchenette. It’s like this after all their meetings, it’s pretty much routine now. Jason doesn’t really mind washing their dishes, he’d rather do this than have any of the teens anywhere near his kitchen.
Jett folds his arms on the back of the couch, before resting his chin on top of them. “So…” he starts. “You’re gonna leave once the case is over?”
Jason can’t pinpoint the exact reason why, but he senses there’s something more to Jett’s question. The boy looks carefree as ever, but there’s something about it that sets Jason off. Perhaps he’s looking into it too much, yet he feels like this is the most Jett’s ever going to open up to him.
“Most likely,” Jason says with his back turned toward the living space, hunched over the dishes in the sink. “I don’t stay in one place for too long.”
“Me neither,” Jett shrugs casually, still lounging on the couch like he owns it. Jason wishes he’d taken his shoes off at the door, but no amount of reprimanding will ever get the boy to follow that particular rule.
“Yet you’ve been staying at my place for the last few weeks,” Jason says. He doesn’t really mind the boy’s presence, but he knows how kids like Jett work. He can’t just outright say he’s concerned, the kid’s hackles would raise within seconds. No, he needs to be smart about this, make it sound like their usual banter. Besides, it’s not like Jason is particularly eager to have a heartfelt conversation right now, much less with the kid who decided to start squatting in his apartment.
“Yeah, well, don’t get used to it, unc,” Jett quips as he flops down face first onto the couch.
Jason ignores the lovely, well-thought-out, nickname the kids have bestowed upon him. He’s used to it by now. He puts the last cup into the drying rack before towelling his hands off.
“So then, where will you go once this is over?” Jason prods.
Jett just shrugs.
Jason turns around then, the towel still in his hands as he looks at the kid on his couch. It’s clear Jett isn’t going to open up without a little push.
“After my mom died, before I became Robin,” Jason starts, watching Jett stiffen. “I didn’t have a place to call home. I lived on the streets.”
“I have a place,” Jett snaps, instantly sitting upright. “I don’t live on the streets!”
“I didn’t say that you were,” Jason shrugs. He can’t help but think though, that the boy’s reaction is as good as a confession regardless. “Well then, if you’ve got someone waiting for you at home, you shouldn’t keep them.”
Jett’s expression sours even more if that was even possible, but for once he doesn’t have any smart remarks ready. He looks stunned, Jason’s got him exactly where he wants him. Either he lies and he leaves now, or…
“There’s no one waiting for me at home,” Jett confesses with a strained voice, his posture screaming discomfort.
Even though Jason had seen it coming from a mile away, the way Jett says it still hurts. There’s millions of kids like Jett out there, Jason knows this, he used to be one of those kids himself. Yet, seeing Jett in front of him like this, he’s overwhelmed with a feeling he’s been trying to ignore.
He cares about these kids.
For a second, Jason thinks about the similarities between this and another event that took place over a decade ago. He cuts that train of thought off instantly with a shake of his head. As he looks back up at Jett, he realizes he’s been quiet for too long.
“Thought so. For how long…?” Jason trails off.
“A while,” Jett says, trying to keep as much of his walls intact as he possibly can still. He feels all the way exposed in a way he’s never experienced before. No one’s ever outright asked him about any of it. Not this, nor his bad attitude, his worsening grades and his growing list of absences…
It had always been his not-so-secret secret. In a world like theirs, it’s easy for kids to fall through the cracks, and it’s easy for kids like Jett to go unquestioned.
Jason would know.
“Batman took me in, after the boys home he dropped me off at turned out to be a front for a criminal enterprise,” Jason says, trying to change the subject and subsequently lighten the mood. He knows not to push the kid too far straight away, and Jett looks like he’s one second from bolting straight out of the door. There’s no rush anyway, for now the kid is safe here, they can continue their talk in the morning.
Jett’s posture relaxes visibly, and his usual smug expression returns to his face.
“So what, you’re trying to become my Batman now?” Jett quips, kicking his legs up against the back of the couch. Jason ignores him for a second as he rummages through one of his bags.
“Fuck no, I’m not trying to become your anything,” Jason fires back with a snort, as he throws a blanket at Jett’s general direction. The kid sits back upright and catches it with ease.
“Thank god, I’d hate to be Robin. That suit is so-” Jett starts to say, but Jason cuts him off with a warning glare.
“Go to sleep,” Jason calls over his shoulder as he begins to make his way out of the living room. “I’m not letting you sleep in till noon, I’m waking you up early tomorrow.”
Jett groans as he flops back down, but he doesn’t argue.
“I’m serious,” Jason says for good measure. “Good night.”
He hears a faint ‘Night’ as he closes the door behind him.