Jason had had the guts to think, Life is good.

But yeah, sue him, for a moment, it had been. He'd caught the rapist and the drug dealers, all in one go. No scrapes, no complications, not even a remotely trained goon to detain him. He was inches away from blowing their brains out, and go crawling home, have a shower, and maybe some tea.

That was about when he decided to tempt fate.

And naturally, because the universe loved fucking with Jason Todd, Robin and Nightwing popped up.

Lady Luck was on permanent vacation, wasn't she?

Jason swore, pressing himself flat against the wall. Fuck Bat training, standing on a three-inch window ledge is hard. He twisted his neck at an awkward angle, trying to peer into the room. Ow, ow.

Dick was standing over the six tied-up men, and Replacement was kneeling by his side, checking the bonds of the rapist. He tossed him down with the careless air of a rich boy, and stood. "Red Hood was here," he said simply, stating the obvious. "He's long gone now, though."

Wrong, little bird.

Dick just nodded. "Can you track him, Robin?"

The boy scowled. "Even I can't track someone without a lead."

Dick laughed. "You sure about that?"

Replacement just looked up at him sullenly.

Nightwing reached forward, and ruffled his hair. "Don't be such a pessimist, Timmy." Then he smiled.

Outside, just behind the wall, Jason Todd froze.

The night was warm, and they were deadbeat after a mission, but Nightwing, being Dick, insisted on roasting marshmallows. In full costume. By the train wreck.

And people said this guy was a Bat.

But when Dick turned his puppy-dogs eyes on Jason, and that adorable pout he had absolutely not right to abuse...well, Jason found he couldn't say no.

Okay, it wasn't exactly by the train wreck. In the forest actually. Didn't make it anymore comfortable. Dick had produced a huge bag of marshmallows from his person, which Jason had no idea how he hid in that skin-tight costume, but was probably the source of Dick's seemingly constant sugar high.

After a a surprisingly small number of disasters, (one fire exploded, but only like, seven trees caught fire), they settled down on the rocky ground to roast the sweets. Which let me tell you, is not the most comfortable thing to do in spandex.

"So," he began. "How do you plan to die tonight? Get found in full costume, and get killed by Batman, or set the forest in fire, burn to near death, and then killed by Batman?"

Dick laughed. "I don't think a few marshmallows are lethal, Jay."

"What?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows in a way he felt sure looked ridiculous with the mask, "Have I never told you the story of the man who died because of 'a few marshmallows'? It was on a night very much like this one, I recall. He was in a forest too. And-"

Dick grinned. "Dont't tell me- he loved marshmallows too."

Jason mock-gasped, "How did you know? Can you be Miss M, in disguise?"

Dick reachs out, ruffles his hair. "You're nicer than people give you credit for Little Wing." Then he smiles.

Not the million watt smiles he beams at his friends, or the sad small ones when he talks about his family .Areal warm smile,, one that he's never seen for anyone before.

It's Jason's smile, his alone.

And no one, no one can ever take it from him.

He jumped.