Jason had not gone to visit Debbie in quite some time. Not since the whole Alfred epidemic. He'd been busy with his own Red Hood affairs after all. And other things as well. One of which included her in a major way. He was planning on surprising her but what better a surprise than go to her himself.
Making sure his helmet was tucked safely underneath his arm, he awoke the blonde with a light knock on her window. He could see her curly hair peeping out from under her blanket. It was a good thing her bed was closest to the window, it would be a terrible mess if her two other roommates woke up.
"Jay?" her voice was slurred and sloppy, obviously she had not fully woken up.
What a precious little girl he had been blessed with. Jason couldn't keep the smile from spreading across his lips, "It's me, princess. Grab a jacket, kid. Meet me at the kiosk, I've got news."
And with that he was gone.
Debbie was quick in doing as she was told. She had on her trusty rain boots along with her warmest jacket thrown on top of her polka-dot pajamas. Her hair was even messier but she didn't care. The few lamps around the kiosk blinded her as she met Jason who stood with a large grin on his face.
"Hey there, princess," Jason greeted. He immediately went to grab the young girl and give her a huge hug.
Although she was trying to be angry with the older man, Debbie couldn't help but let out the lightest of giggles before being set on the ground once again. What sudden news had come up that Jason was only now coming to visit her, she wondered intently.
But of course Jason wouldn't tell her immediately of his most recent news. Instead he would ask her of her week and how she was doing in school. The older man obviously took interest in her life whether he made it clear to her or not. Debbie had no other choice but to answer each one of his questions. She had missed Jason far more than he could have ever predicted.
The blonde was almost vibrating with all her excitement at being able to talk with Jason, she felt as though she hardly had any time with him anymore, "All my classes are super easy. Well, except for math. It's a high level of magic I bet."
"Friends?" Jason had taken off his helmet, setting it aside as he made himself comfortable on the steps of the kiosk, Debbie standing in front of him and radiating with happiness.
"I hang out with my roommates. They like to play on the swings a lot and climb trees. They're both really nice."
Jason couldn't help but grin and raise an eyebrow at his next question, "Oh really? Have they found out about Robin visiting?"
"How did-"
He laughed. It wasn't impossible to keep an eye on Debbie even when he was away, "Debbs, give me some credit. I have eyes all over the place."
"Well... they did almost find us in the hall a few weeks ago," she admitted as she rolled her eyes.
"In the hall?"
"It was a cold night, Red." Debbie scoffed, she was quick in explaining herself. The weather was growing colder every night. Not a good thing since that was when Debbie had her friends' visits.
"Right," Jason smiled, he ran a hand through his sloppy hair and took a deep breath, "Hey, uh- do you remember Jill?"
Ah, Jill. She was one of the loveliest women on the planet in Debbie's own opinion. One of Red Hood's best fighters from what she knew from the stories Jason told her of. Perhaps one of her favorite things of Jill was that she was such a strong, talented woman, one who could keep up with Jason in combat which Debbie knew was quite difficult. Jill was humble, kind, gentle looking and from a torn picture she'd found once in Jason's jacket, the woman was quite beautiful.
Debbie immediately jumped at the thought, her cheeks puffing and her voice rising with excitement, "Of course I remember her, she's the nicest person ever! Second to Ms. Daws- uh I mean Mrs. Barnes, they're both so pretty too! I bet I can be as pretty as them when I get older."
"You're already beautiful, kid," Jason told her with a smile, "well there's a reason why I'm asking you this, Debbie. A really important reason."
That finally made the blonde stop from jumping in her place. She held her hands together over her tummy and nodded her head, "I'm listening."
"I'll be leaving to Paris for a little while," his words were slow and careful. Jason wasn't sure how she would take it, him leaving again. But surely she would be calmer about it now.
"Another mission?" Debbie let out a long drawn out breath, a warm puff of smoke covering her lips for a few moments, "Red, could you at least be careful. Roy tells me you're never careful," she accused and crossed her tiny arms over her chest.
"Jill is going with me, Debbie. I'm going to-"
"Oh, on a date! Not a mission, thank jelly beans," Debbie sighed with a soft chuckle as she pretended to wipe sweat from her forehead, "that is so sweet!"
"I'm proposing, Debbie."
That seemed to stop her right in her tracks. Jason had always been very blunt with his answers, very honest especially when she started rambling and hardly gave him a chance to speak for himself.
"Wha-" Debbie bit her lip and tilted her head, thinking over the proposition which Jason had just told her. His plan to hopefully become engaged. Well, what came after an engagement? Marriage, building a life together. A home. A family. "Oh."
Eyeing her cautiously, Jason now felt a wave of regret wash over him, "You seem upset."
"No, no. I'm really happy," and truly she was happy. She was beyond ecstatic. But what would become of her? Jason would most likely want a family of his own. Children of his own. That's what normally came after getting married. Then suddenly a thought came to mind and the blonde was accusing Jason once more with her arms crossed tightly over her chest, "Is Jill pregnant?"
"Debbie!"
"Well is she?" Her fists were balled up but Debbie stuffed them into her coat pocket for warmth and to keep from letting Jason see how upset she really was.
"What kind of question is that?"
It shouldn't have surprised Jason how the young girl accused him with such topic but then again it was Debbie. The young girl had no funnel to keep her from speaking her mind.
"Obviously you want to start a family. You'll leave me here in St. Victoria's and have no time to visit anymore either once you become a dad."
"Sorta too late for that. I think I am one already."
"So she is?!"
"No," Jason calmy shook his head and brought the blonde to stand in front of him, his hands covering her shoulders as he bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing all together, "You're already my kid, Debbs."
"Huh?"
"Well, if everything goes as planned, I was thinking of asking you. Y'know, if you wouldn't mind too much, having me as a dad and all that. And Jill already adores you anyway-"
And suddenly everything seemed to snap back into place. Almost like a light switch had been turned inside her brain. Debbie went from devastation to excitement.
The blonde couldn't hold back her toothy grin as she threw herself against Jason's chest, her curls bouncing and becoming even more of a tangled mess as the young man held her tight, not being able to keep a grin from appearing on his face, "Jason, you are the absolute best! Of course! Of course!"
It was a few days later that Debbie had to confide in someone. Who else would she trust better than Damian? Of course, Jason had told her not to tell anyone.
Damian didn't count. He wasn't just anyone.
As usual, the two were enjoying one another's company at the manor. Debbie, as always, lay sprawled unevenly on Damian's bed, fiddling with her thumbs as she looked up to the ceiling. Her blonde hair sloppily fell over the side of the bed. Damian rolled his eyes as he tossed a box into his closet and grabbed the chair from beside his desk.
The thought of being in a family made Debbie glow with sheer happiness. And she knew she shouldn't tell Damian but what else would they talk about? She remembered hearing Alfred say something about the younger boy receiving a late birthday present that afternoon. She brought that topic up instead.
Roy had taught her it was important to keep her word if she wanted to gain or keep someone's trust after all. She kept that in mind.
Debbie didn't bother in attempting to sit up or lay properly as she watched her friend upside down, "I heard you got a super late birthday present."
"Yes, I did. Now let's not talk about it," Damian sighed as he sat in his chair, running a hand down his face and suddenly finding his sketchbook extremely interesting.
Seeing her friend in such an unhappy mood made Debbie herself feel terrible. How dare the world make Damian feel terrible on a day he received a gift. It may possibly have been a bad gift but knowing Damia, he most likely didn't even open it. It was sad. He was sad.
"Is it true that it's from your mother?"
"That is truly none of your business, York."
"A mother's embrace is like coming home. Did she-"
"Deborah, would you please just shut up."
She didn't mean to be annoying or to pick at the topic at hand which Damian was obviously irritated with. Debbie just didn't like seeing her friend in his current state. He seemed distant. Hurt in one form or another, she never liked it. His face cast shadows that a boy such as Damian should not have at such a young age.
He was conceited. A spoiled brat even. Extremely annoying at times as well. But he was hurting. Deep in the core of his soul, Debbie knew that for certain. Damian didn't have to admit it at all. It didn't take a genius to figure that out. Just a good friend. She would make sure to be that friend.
The blonde lay down correctly on her back, taking half of the bed with her feet resting on a pillow and her head on the opposite end of the bed. She decided on switching the topic of conversation,"How well do you know me?"
Damian shook his head and rolled his eyes, fiddling with the edge of his sketchbook, "What kind of question is that, York?"
"Are you going to answer it?"
"..."
Of course he wouldn't. She would need to coax it out of him as usual. Challenge him in some form or another, "I don't think you know me very well."
"Of course I do."
"Then why are you sitting so far away?"
He was only a few feet away, close to his desk, but Debbie was always the dramatic one between the two. She loved exaggerations. So Damian stood from his chair and walked over to his bed. He lay beside her, although opposite of her. Her feet were beside his head as Damian rather preferred to lay his head on a pillow and his own feet were beside Debbie's head, unruly with her curls sticking up in odd ways.
Damian sighed and readied himself for another one of Debbie's conversations. It wasn't that he hated them, he quite liked them if he was going to be honest. He would never admit it to her of course but still, her voice always seemed to calm him. Especially on days where he was far more irritated than usual. Today surely was one of those days.
"I think I'm going to have a family soon." She admitted. Debbie didn't tilt her head to look at him or move in the slightest.
"Really?" Damian's voice wasn't exactly peaking with interest. But what else could he say? It wasn't as though he could stop her from speaking her mind anyway. Deborah York was a girl who no one could silence. Especially him. She had a knack for talking over him after all, especially when she became excited. Damian let it be and listened on as he always did.
"I'd love to have a real family."
"I know."
"A mother like my own, beautiful and smart. Kind and radiating with warmth. A dad too."
That confused him. He had always thought Jason filled the space of her deceased father. He treated her as his own child, Damian was witness to that from the very though his brother and friend didn't live as parent and child, they still played the part very well. What a disgusting relationship. He had been right when he told Jason that the young blonde would serve as a weakness and only get them both killed.
Although, he knew Jason was a good man. He cleaned up his mess and took care of the young girl.
"I thought To-"
But before he could even speak a word, Debbie cut him off immediately, "Do you know what else I love?" she smiled, nodding her head lightly as if telling herself to continue, "I love animals."
"I know, York."
"Birds, cats, dogs. I love the way rain feels. How snow crunches under your shoes."
"You love many things," Damian could almost feel as he rolled his eyes but smiled at the innocence of her thoughts, "You love rich, deep colors," he continued the list for her.
It wasn't difficult naming all the things the curly haired blonde loved. The list could go on for miles. Damian knew her well. Sometimes he wished he didn't. It was a tragedy.
He knew she was infatuated with winter. She loved the rain, snow, every bit of cold. It only served to remind her of the warmth. Whether it was the warmth in a welcoming home or that of the comfort of her bed under the clearest of skies after being cleansed by the rain. She loved winter. She loved the way the sky seemed to bleed with different hues of orange and pink during the fall, still lingering, hanging on the summer, getting ready for true cold winters.
Debbie chuckled quietly. She felt successful in making Damian talk even if she'd done it before. This time she was able to make him cross over and be on her side of a conversation instead of battling her all the way through it.
"You love music."
"I do."
"You love baking."
"Of course." She wasn't at all shy or embarrassed of the unlikely fact any longer. Debbie had made her peace with it. She dreamed to one day open her own bakery. She then thought of a second thing she had made up her mind about some time ago. A soft smile blossomed over her rosy lips, "And I think I love you too."
It was no surprise that her words caught Damian off guard. He was bewildered at first. Shocked. He was beyond glad that she couldn't see his face although if she could, Damian would be able to hide his expressions easily. But soon enough, his bewilderment became confusion and then disbelief.
The young boy scoffed, what a silly thing she said, "That's ridiculous."
He didn't know what to think. What to say. And so he said the first thing that came to his mind. Damian knew it would hurt. He didn't want her to be hurt. He knew Debbie wouldn't let something so small as words cause her pain. And yet for reasons unknown, he wanted to hurt her all the same. Make her feel something else other than pure love over everything. His blows at least wouldn't be as painful as someone else's
Debbie took a moment before finally responding, not a hint of emotion in her soft voice. She scoffed, the corners of her mouth itched to curl upward and the blonde bit her lip to keep the grin from appearing, "Yeah, ridiculous."
This chapter is totally longer than usual I hope you like it! As always have a good night/day!
