Dick groaned as lanced of light pierced his window, illuminating his dark room. He rolled over onto his back, scrubbing his face with his hands before finally pushing himself up. He sat in bed for a few moments, his hair as messy as his bed, giving himself a few moments to wake. He let out a yawn, stretching his limbs before he finally pulled himself out of bed. He quickly fixed his hair, combing it into place with his hand before padding out of his bedroom.
He stopped and glanced over at the couch, and as expected, Jason was gone. What was more was that the blanket and pillow were neatly folded on the end of his couch with a note on the coffee table. He looked around the room and found it nice and clean, clothes in the hamper and dishes in the sink. He smirked to himself and picked up the note and read it.
Thanks for letting me crash. Cleaned the place up a bit as a thanks. That and because your house keeping skills are a disgrace. Don't get used to it Goldie.
Jaybird
Dick chuckled to himself in amusement, carding a hand through his hair as he placed the note back down onto the table. With another tired yawn, he went into the kitchen, finding the dishes washed and in the rack drying. He grabbed a bowl and fished a box of cereal out of the cupboard and milk out of the fridge. He poured himself a bowl of cereal, grabbed a spoon and sat at the kitchen table, ready to eat and begin the day when his phone went off. Dick padded into the living room and grabbed it up, answering a call from Bruce.
"Bruce. What's up?" Dick asked, moving slowly back into the kitchen.
"Dick, when you have time today, drop by the manor. We have to talk," was all Bruce said before he hung up. Dick frowned at his phone and pocketed before sitting back down at the table. He didn't know what Bruce wanted to talk about that needed to be done in person. Regardless, he was going to take his time; last night had been a long, and interesting, night.
-o-o-O-o-o-
Jason parked his bike down in the alley beside his apartment building, down in The Bowery of Gotham City. He dig through his pocket for his key and opened the door, stepping inside. It was an abandoned warehouse apartment before he and Roy bought it together during their Outlaw days. They'd fixed it up and turned it into a respectable apartment. Just beyond the front door, the place opened up into one large room with both a living room and kitchen in it, with the bathroom off to one side. Up above was a small floor that made up the bedroom. Jason kicked his boots off and hung his black leather jacket on a coat peg. He hefted a black duffel bag over his shoulder which carried his Red Hood gear, and made his way inside.
He could hear the TV which made him frown, but not for long. A little girl with black hair and green eyes came bounding off of the couch and pouncing on Jason, wrapping her little arms around his legs.
"Uncle Jay!" the little girl chortled. Jason grinned from ear-to-ear and picked the little girl up into his arms.
"Lian, hey princess! What're you watching?" he asked, kissing her forehead and padding into the living room.
"'M watchin' Bugs Bunny! Come, come!" Lian chortled again as Jason set her down. She grabbed his fingers and dragged him into the living room with her. Roy came out of the bathroom a moment later, wearing naught but a pair of jeans, his short red hair still damp and a towel slung around his shoulders.
"Hey Jaybird! Where were you last night?" Roy asked, drying his hair a little more before balling the towel up and tossing it into the hamper. Jason chuckled a bit as he followed Lian into the living room, watching her climb up onto the couch and patting the seat beside her. He sat dutifully beside her and turned to Roy.
"Bludhaven. Working a case. What're you doing here?" Jason asked, arching an eyebrow. Roy gave a grin and a shrug, flopping down into an armchair and making himself comfortable. He pulled his key out of his pocket and dangled it in front of Jason.
"Visiting. It's been a while since we last saw you, Jaybird. Since Lian was two. She's 3-" Roy began.
"And a half!" Lian interrupted, correcting her father. Roy and Jason both chuckled in amusement at the little girl.
"Three and a half now. That's not a problem is it?" he asked. Jason snorted and waved his hand dismissively.
"God no. I'd've come to see you myself, but I've had my hands tied with Gotham. Plus, Star city is literally on the other side of the country," Jason pointed out with an arched brow. Roy chuckled and nodded as Jason spoke. "It's good to see you two doing well. Especially my princess," Jason said, ruffling Lian's hair. The little girl laughed and stuck her tongue out at him.
"We let ourselves in. We were hoping to surprise you when you got back from patrol," Roy added with a smirk. Jason gave a shrug.
"Patrol took an interesting turn. Black Mask again." Jason replied. Roy whistled and rake a hand through his red hair.
"Again, huh? That guy's like a cockroach," Roy said with a laugh and Jason simply nodded.
"That's what I told Dick," Jason replied. Roy cocked an eyebrow and leaned forward a bit, elbows resting on his legs as he looked at Jason.
"Dick, huh? How is he?" Jason glanced over at Roy and gave a shrug.
"Fine. Still as obnoxious and self-righteous as ever," Jason replied with a derisive snort. When he next looked at Roy, the man had that look on his face. A look Jason recognized but wished he hadn't. "Okay yes, I spent the night at Dick's place and no, nothing happened because I don't like Dick that way, for the umpteenth fu-" he paused, glancing over at Lian who was too into her show, then back to Roy "-friggin time. Why are you so interested in setting me up with him anyway?" Roy snorted at him and shook his head.
"Uh, because you had a huge schoolboy crush on him? And because you still do," Roy replied. Jason let out a bark of laughter and shook his head. He turned to Roy and pointed at him, fixing him with a glare.
"Okay, first, I was a moody, hormonal teenager. Second, had. Had a schoolboy crush on him. And third, I outgrew it. You've been talking to Babs too much. That girl reads too much into everything," Jason said to him, pushing himself up and padding into the kitchen. "Hey cupcake, you want pancakes?" Jason called, reaching up into the cabinet for the pancake mix.
"Yes please!" Lian called back.
"Oh, make some for me too, Jaybird! I love your pancakes!" Roy exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. Jason laughed as he started mixing the pancakes, glancing over at Roy.
"You're like a great big kid," Jason answered. Roy laughed and gave a shrug of his shoulders.
"Yeah, but you love me anyway."
"Lucky for you!"
"Hey!"
Lian started laughing at their interaction, looking back and forth between "Uncle Jay" and Roy. Roy mock frowned at the little girl.
"Hey you, what's so funny?"
"You and Uncle Jay," she said between giggles. Roy smiled and started tickling the little girl.
"Oh yeah? How about I give you something to laugh about!" he said as Lian let out a shrieking laughter and tried to escape from her father's ticklish fingers. When she finally squirmed away, Roy moved back into his arm chair and heaved a contented sigh.
"So, Jaybird. How's the nightlife? And The Family?" Roy asked casually. Jason glared at him, but Roy just gave a shrug. "Relax Jay, Lian knows. Nothing specific of course, but she knows to keep it a secret. Hey baby girl. Who else is daddy and Uncle Jay?" Roy asked. Lian looked at her father and smiled from ear to ear.
"Daddy and Uncle Jay beat up the bad guys. But ssssh, don't tell anyone!" Roy and Jason exchanged a look, the two of them sharing a laugh.
"Nightlife's fine, and the family? Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a 'family'," Jason replied.
"Care to elaborate?" Roy asked, arching an auburn brow. Jason snorted.
"Dialed the violence back a bit, if that's what you're asking. Still not sorry for putting down murderers, child abusers and rapists," Jason said, flipping a pancake "but Bruce is still a self-righteous asshole. Don't particularly care for the others. Alfred's the only one who seems to want me around," Jason went on.
"What about Dick?" Roy asked carefully. Jason snorted and rolled his eyes, choosing not to answer. He waved them over to the kitchen table. Roy and Lian both made their way over, Lian climbing into a chair and immediately munching into her small pancake.
"Mmm, chocolate chip! Thanks Uncle Jay!" she chortled as Roy sat down between the two. Jason smiled at her fondly.
"Anything for you, cupcake."
"You spoil her rotten."
"And that's a problem?" Jason asked amusedly. Roy just grinned at him. "So how long are you guys going to be in Gotham?" Jason asked casually. He glanced up at Roy as he took a sip of his coffee. Roy swallowed a bite of pancake then gave a shrug.
"Probably just the end of the day. We're meeting up with Auntie Dinah and Uncle Ollie later and take a plane back to Star City with them, right Speedy?" Roy asked, looking over at Lian. Lian giggled playfully.
"Uncle Ollie! Auntie D! Plane! Woosh!" Lian chortled. Jason chuckled in amusement, patting the little girl's head.
"Sure you can't stay longer, Roy? I've missed you, y'know," Jason admitted. Roy was one of the few people he felt he could be open and honest with. Though the man was also testing his 'toys' out on him or getting them both into trouble and doing stupid shit, Roy was his best friend, the person he trusted most in the world. Nothing was off limits, and neither of them had secrets from each other, either. Roy was impossible to stay mad at for long.
Roy sighed and shook hie head.
"I'm afraid not Jaybird. I wish I could, I missed you too, but duty calls, y'know," Roy replied, pushing his plate away. Jason smirked and gave a nod.
"Yeah."
"But hey, I'm sure I can drag my ass back next month and we'll hang out like old times, right? Get drunk, screw around, bust some heads-"
"Do stupid shit and get into trouble," Jason interrupted, earning a laugh from Roy. Lian huffed and pointed at him.
"Bad word Uncle Jay! Don't say it again!"
-o-o-O-o-o-
Dick drove to the manor with the radio going and his mind wandering. Jason had become much less aggressive over the past couple of years, but last night was the first time in a long time that they felt like brothers again. Sure, Jason was angry, violent, and still killing people but it seemed like he was...different now. He'd known Tim and Jason were on neutral ground with each other, and Jason was visiting Alfred when Bruce wasn't around but he and Bruce were still butting heads. The last time Bruce found Jason at the manor, they fought, like physically fought.
Dick didn't have all the details, save that Jason found out that Bruce had a file on him on the Batcomputer, and he wanted it. Jason had been pissed about it, but Bruce attacked him when he found him in the cave. Dick knew about the file, had read it himself even, and it was both revealing and heartbreaking. Jason hadn't just stolen to survive and support his mother before she died; he'd been forced into much seedier work just to scrape by.
It was sad, really, but it almost seemed as if Bruce had given up on Jason. He knew it wasn't true, because Bruce could've turned him in by now but he hadn't. He suspected Bruce just didn't trust him, which he understood, but he wasn't even really trying to reach out to Jason anymore.
Dick turned when the manor came into view, pulling up into the long drive way and hopping out of his car. Dick made his way to the door, but as always, Alfred answered before he even got the chance to knock or ring the bell.
"Hey, good morning Alfred," Dick said cheerily, hugging the old butler. Alfred returned the hug, then gestured for Dick to enter the manor.
"Good morning Master Richard. Master Bruce is awaiting you down in the cave," Alfred said evenly. Dick gave a nod as he patted the man's shoulder and made his way for the old grandfather clock. He took the elevator down to the cave and there he found Tim and Damian sparring in their uniforms. Tim and Damian traded blows back and forth across the training mat, but their match came to an end when Dick came down the stairs.
"Dick, hey," Tim greeted with a smile and a hand wave.
"Grayson," Damian said curtly. Dick smiled at the two of them and hugged each of them; hugs were a signature of Dick Grayson, and if you spent enough time around him, you learned to get used to them.
"Tim, Damian. Good to see you both!" Dick said cheerily, patting Damian's shoulder.
"Tt, you can stop now, Grayson. Father wants to talk to you," Damian said flatly. Dick just flashed him a smile and turned to Tim.
"Tim, how're the Titans?" he asked. Tim gave a shrug.
"Doing well. I've taken some time off to come home for a little bit."
"Aw, did you miss me?" Dick asked with a teasing tone. Tim smirked a little and gave a nod.
"Kinda, yeah." Dick chuckled and wrapped an arm around Tim's shoulders and headed for the computer. Damian ducked Dick's other arm and instead, followed behind the two of them.
"Any idea what Bruce wants?" Dick asked, glanced back between the two of them. Tim gave a shrug, and Damian just snorted
"You probably did something stupid. Not unusual," Damian said flatly. Dick chuckled in amusement and patted Damian's head, much to the younger's annoyance; he knew it was Damian's way of Joking with him. Or was it? Sometimes it was hard to tell.
"Bruce, what's going on?" Dick asked Bruce, who was sitting at the Batcomputer. Bruce turned in his chair, glancing back and forth between Tim and Damian.
"Excuse us. This is between Dick and I," he said simply. Tim and Damian exchanged a glance before retreating from the computer, Tim to change into civilian clothes and up to the manor, and Damian to continue training. Dick watched them go, then arched a brow at Bruce.
"Bruce?"
"Dick...Jason is dangerous," Bruce said evenly, not breaking eye contact. Dick's jaw dropped in disbelief. Was Bruce spying on him?! But of course he was, and he knew he shouldn't be surprised.
"Are you spying on me?! You have cameras in my apartment?!" Dick growled. Bruce turned back to the computer and brought up video footage of Dick's apartment.
"Yes. I just wanted to keep you safe, Dick." Dick snorted and waved his hand dismissively.
"I honestly can't say I'm surprised. I mean, I am a little bit, because I thought we were past this crap, but really?! Where is it?!" Dick asked.
"I was worried about you. You know what happened in Bludhaven before," Bruce pointed out. Dick groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands.
"Yeah, I know-"
"You didn't reach out to anyone, didn't talk to anyone, you just fled to New York. We were worried about you when we hadn't heard from you," Bruce added.
"I needed space, Bruce! From Bludhaven, from all the crap I put up with, from-"
"Me," Bruce said evenly. Dick clamped his mouth shut and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Yeah. From you. Jason died Bruce, and you didn't even tell me! I was angry! Jason was my little brother, Bruce!"
"He was more than that to you, Dick," Bruce interrupted and Dick found himself speechless again. What was Bruce implying?
"What?"
"You've always loved Jason, Dick. I think a lot more than a brother, and a lot more than you realize. So when it comes to Jason, I think your judgment is clouded-"
"Enough! Bruce, I'm not going to argue about this! Jason is my brother, and I don't know what you're going on about, but there's nothing more than that going on between me and Jason!" Dick snapped. Bruce went to speak again, but Dick held up a hand to stop him. "I know Jason is dangerous, but I also know he's your son! You might be ready to give up on him, but I'm not! Now, the cameras Bruce! Where are they?!" Dick growled. Bruce was silent for a time before turning back to the Batcomputer and plugging something into the system. All the cameras came up on the screen and one by one, they blinked off. Bruce turned back around and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Their programs have been terminated. They're destroyed. I promise," Bruce said with a sigh. Dick sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands again.
"You know, if you wanted to make sure I was okay, a simple phone call or a visit wouldn't hurt," Dick said with a chuckle of amusement. Bruce, stone faced as ever, gave a nod.
"Alright."
"That it?"
"Yes. Except for Barbara's cameras," Bruce added with a slight smirk. Dick's jaw dropped and he shook his head.
"I can't believe it!"
