Dick was just coming back from a late patrol, groaning softly as he rubbed his back. A warm shower would be good for relaxing the muscles, but right now he just wanted to crash on a soft bed. He'd been out by himself tonight, Damian having begged off for an "overnight mission debriefing" with his new Young Justice team - which Dick figured was code for a slumber party.
He didn't mind. Alfred hadn't either, promising to prepare a Thanksgiving feast's worth of food and snacks (two of the visitors were the West twins, after all). The old butler had even promised to call in reinforcements should the kids get out of hand.
Passing by the main den, Dick saw out of the corner of his eye a massive pile of sleeping forms, and smiled. The expression vanished, though, when a snore much too deep for a child to make also came from the room.
Back-tracking, the young man poked his head into the room, and after scanning over it again realized where the snoring was coming from.
Lying face-down on the floor, Jason Todd was dressed in his usual tough guy street clothes. Damian was sprawled across his shoulders, while Colin Wilkes, little D's best friend Abuse, lay in a similar position on Jason's lower back. Curled around one of the man's outstretched arms was Milagro Reyes, the youngest Green Lantern, who served as a pillow for Lian Harper, the newest Speedy, her feet propped onto Jason's side. In between his knees was Tina Lance, the little Siren, with Irey and Jai West, otherwise known as Impulse and Turtle, hugging either foot. Jumbled on top of the others were Luke O'Brian and Gracie Dibny, the recently named Plastic Kid and Elongated Girl, whose fathers almost certainly didn't know their kids were here. And tucked into the hollow of Jason's other arm and side was the tiny Maxine Frazier, or Animal Girl, if the new goggles she was wearing were anything to go by.
Slipping his phone from the pocket of his pants, Dick proceeded to take pictures as quietly as possible. Unfortunately, the soft clicks were still enough to wake up at least one person, as he realized when the dark haired head ceased its snoring, and grumbled something incomprehensible into the carpet.
"Rough night, Jay?" Dick couldn't help but tease.
The other man lifted his head to glare at the offending speaker. "Grayson, if you tell anyone about this, I swear I'll murder you in your sleep."
"Fine, fine... I'm still sending out the pictures, though."
"Grayson-!" Sadly for him, Jason was unable to move from the slumbering pile of eight to thirteen year olds. Laughing silently, Dick beat a hasty retreat.
Author's Note: Yeah, a few of these kid characters are supposed to be dead, or non-existent, but this is my ideal team for Damian's generation. As well as the future grown-up heroes in my Glimpses and other futureverse stories. Anyway, the more wee ones to pile onto poor Jason, the better, right?
-Triscribe