Okay. Before you read, I would like to say that this is Tim's first encounter with the reincarnated family. So. Remember that. Also, this Jason is Jason Todd, he just lacks certain pieces of baggage that the actual Jason Todd has. I am exploring personalities for Jason. Now. I HOPE YOU ENJOY, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWS.

Gotham City: January 17th, 2056

Tim wipes down the table in the dining room, finishing up that cleaning and moving to the living room. There is dust everywhere. And, yes, he understands that Bruce is busy and that there are two children (and Jason) who are, as children (and Jason) have always been, messy. But seriously. Tim had been planning to be asleep for a very long time. If (when) he leaves again, who will clean this house? Alfred would be disappointed.

(Where is Alfred, anyway? Everyone else is here.)

And Tim is definitely leaving again. No doubt. He cannot stay here with Jason. This Jason doesn't even know him (and, besides, while he most certainly has Jason's face, who is to say that this is even his Jason?).

How can Bruce not see Damian in Daniel? Damian was his father. Was Dick alive when Damian had Bruce? If he was, how can Bruce not notice? How—

"This has been bugging me since you got here." Tim feels himself tense at Jason's voice. It is hard, forcing himself to relax. He lays the dustrag and the Pledge on the wooden coffee table before turning around to see Jason standing really close to him.

(This Jason is still taller than Tim.)

"What has been bugging you?" If Tim still had a beating heart, it would be pounding out of his ribcage at this moment.

"How do you know Bruce? Or. How does Bruce know you? Because none of us know you and that whole thing with 'welcome home, Tim' and whatever was a major, serious mindfuck." God, he even curses the same. (This really isn't fair.)

Tim sits on the couch. Jason also sits. And they are still close. Their knees are touching.

He taps his fingers against his kneecaps. "I knew his father. Damian was my." Hm. How to put this. It is going to sound strange, no matter how he tries to sugarcoat it. "Damian was my little brother."

Jason blinks. "What." Then he holds up a hand. Tim hadn't been going to answer the not-question anyway. "That's not possible. You look my age. My age. I'm seventeen, by the way. My name is Jason Taylor." Jason winks and Tim can feel his face heat up. (Is this what Jason would have been like if he hadn't been beaten, blown up, and revived?) "And, yeah, Bruce is around my age somewhere, maybe I could believe you were his brother but not his uncle."

"Huh." Tim feels his lips twitch in a smile. "I'd never thought of myself as his uncle. Guess I am though."

"Bullshit."

"No, really." Tim leans back. (He thinks it's the same couch from the time before he left. It feels the same, anyway.) "I'm sure it's in my file somewhere in the Batcave." And telling Jason this will get him away from Tim because Tim cannot deal with this.

Jason frowns, looking at Tim hard.

"Well. Bruce wouldn't have known you if you were lying." Then Jason smiles. "I'll check it out tomorrow, just to make sure you're on the up-and-up. It's be fucking disappointing to find out that you're a liar. I'd have to tell Bruce what an unacceptable influence on the children you are."

Tim raises an eyebrow.

"It's the language thing, isn't it?"

"You speak English. It's not the language thing. It's the cursing thing."

Jason grins and Tim dies a little on the inside. "I feel like I've heard that joke before."

Tim withers and sputters, his not-stomach flips, his un-heart shrivels. And he thinks his eyes are watering. But he clears his throat and smiles (and it feels real, dammit, and that's as good as it's going to get).

"It's a really common and sort of lame joke. So."

"Yeah, but it's funny because you think you're fucking hilarious. I can tell."

Tim snorts and stands, grabbing the Pledge to continue his dusting. "I am hilarious. My jokes are funny."

Jason laughs. "It's funnier to watch you defend your God-awful sense of humor." He continues to snicker. "In fact," his voice becomes a drawl (and Tim has heard this voice before. He thinks that if he had a stomach he would throw up), "it's kind of cute."

Tim makes a show of rolling his eyes and cocks his hip out ("Oh-ho, getting sassy on me, Babybird?") "Are you flirting with me?"

"Fuck yes, I'm flirting with you. You're pretty. And you might have magic powers that keep you young. It means that when I get older I'll always have a piece of arm candy."

"What makes you think I have magic powers?"

"You were really vague on the whole 'I'm Technically Bruce's Uncle' thing." Jason grins again.

Tim doesn't know how to feel about this Jason. It is Jason, Tim is sure of it. His Jason. Alive. But. Different. And Bruce is Bruce, John is Dick, Daniel is Damian. Okay. (Seriously, how can Bruce not notice that his son is his father?) But he doesn't understand how this works. Did he get sucked into a different universe? (That wouldn't make any sense. Bruce knows him.)

Tim wants to understand. He likes understanding.

He hates not understanding.

"Are you okay?" Tim starts and realizes he has been holding the dustrag to a picture frame for at least a minute. He puts his hand down and looks the picture over. It is of Damian, holding baby Bruce. He looks so happy (Tim didn't think Damian would ever be happy).

"Yeah," Tim says. "I am."

"That sounds like a lie. So you are a liar." Tim can hear the smile. But then he hears it go away. "You've been doing that since you got here. Spacing out and not saying anything. It freaks John out. Daniel thinks you've gone off the deep end."

Tim is not surprised that Daniel thinks he is crazy. He is just glad that Daniel doesn't know he was the third Robin. (Tim would never hear the end of it...)

"I know."

"So. Do you want to talk about it? Or something? I've been told I'm a fucking fantastic listener. Also. I've been told I'm good in bed."

Tim can't help the laugh that forces its way out of his chest. "You are coming on a little strong."

"You're just not warming up to my charms yet. I'll wait. I can be patient."

Tim smiles. It's it small, but this one is genuine (if a little painful). "You'll wait, huh." ("Baby, I'd wait for-fucking-ever for you. So. I'm not rushing you or anything. Don't feel like I am. I'll always be here. But you needed to know that I love you.") He continues dusting. "And no. I don't want to talk about it. But thank you very much for the offer."

Tim sees Jason get off the couch and move in the direction of the kitchen. "Okay. If you change your mind, on either count, I'll be here."

"I'll keep that it mind."

(When Jason is out of the room, Tim feels the tears overwhelm him.)