Chapter 52: Sick Nights
Gotham
Year 2009
January 20th
Jason is 9
Tim is 6
Robin is 11
Batgirl is 13
Batman is 29
Jason sneezed again pulling the blanket further around him. He reached for the tissues to find there were no more. He groaned and reached for the remote instead. That was when Alfred walked in carrying a tray of soup and more tissues. "Master Jason I'm not sure you should be watching the television in your condition. Do try and get some rest."
"I can take care of myself," he groaned.
"I do wish you would," Alfred said as he left the soup and walked off. Jason sighed and took the soup turning on the TV as well. The news played as he raised the spoon to his mouth. Cat Grant stood talking in front of a building. "Scarecrow has taken patients from this therapeutic hospital captive. All of them suffer from debilitating fears and anxieties."
Jason cursed wishing he could be there. Red Hood was slowly being allowed to fight some of the bigger vilians. Mostly he was a well kept Gotham secret that only the criminals and Bats knew about. Some of the Justice League as well. He hadn't got to fight Scarecrow yet and he could have helped a lot.
Jason suddenly sneezed. He missed what was happening on the news because of the loud noise and his teary eyes. "Bless you."
Bruce was standing beside him in a white shirt and black workout pants. He placed a hand on Jason's shoulder. "How you feeling?""
"How's it look like I'm feeling?" Jason retorted.
Bruce nodded sitting down beside Jason. Jason looked at him in confusion. "Shouldn't you be fighting Scarecrow?"
"Everyone needs a break now and then. Batgirl and Robin have it handled. I'll be there quickly if they need to call me in. For now I think a different kid needs my company more."
"I don't need anyone," Jason argued sneezing again. Bruce handed him a tissue with an eyebrow raised.
Jason just blew his nose ignoring Bruce's unspoken challenge. He shivered more. Bruce looked at him worriedly. "What should we watch? The news probably isn't the best choice right now."
"Don't care," Jason coughed.
Bruce took the remote as Alfred came in with a bowl of popcorn. How he knew they would need it was a mystery. Jason reached for it before Bruce raised the bowl out of his reach. "The only thing you're eating is that soup."
"That's not fair!"
"You're sick and it won't help if I get sick too. How's Mission Impossible sound?"
"Okay," Jason conceded.
Bruce smirked and grabbed the remote. He pushed a few buttons and the movie started. Jason sat up and reached shakily for his soup. Bruce picked it up and placed the tray on his lap. Jason scowled.
"It's okay to ask for help every once in awhile," Bruce told him.
"I'm not a baby. I don't need anybody's help to take care of myself," Jason said stubbornly.
"Everybody needs help sometimes. You just need to speak up and ask for it. It's not about me thinking you can't take care of yourself."
"But you do think that," Jason argued. "You don't think I can do anything. You don't trust me."
"Why do you think that?" Bruce asked surprised.
"You won't let me solo patrol like Dick. You make me train more than him too. You don't yell at him to do his work or for saying things he shouldn't. I'm not allowed to know League secrets like he is. I've never even been to the Watchtower! You trust Dick more, everyone likes him, he wasn't a street rat and the whole world thinks he's a hero. You think he's perfect. He's the Golden Boy."
Bruce looked affronted. "You know that's not true."
Jason just scowled and put his soup down. Bruce tried again. "You and Dick are very different children Jason. He's also almost three years older than you. It makes sense that he would have more responsibilities. But I assure you, he wasn't allowed to solo patrol when he was your age either. He had to train just as hard too. And the Watchtower hadn't even been built yet. I had no idea you wanted to go or I would have allowed it. You've already proven yourself to me Jason. I don't need you to be Dick."
"Everyone else wants me to be like him. All my teachers complain I'm not like him. All the kids scoff and say that even he was better than me. He has manners and didn't curse all the time. He doesn't have a criminal record or grow up in crime alley."
Bruce sighed. "Jason you're just as smart as him. You're both very talented in very different ways. After all you're very different people. As for school and what the other kids say, well I'll try to fix that. Dick still has those problems. He's had them since he began at Gotham Academy. People are mean about things they don't understand. That's the way of the world."
Jason nodded bringing his feet up onto the couch. He curled further into the blanket and yawned. "Bruce?"
Bruce turned to look at him. Jason continued blearily. "Thanks."
The man was contemplating how much Jason had grown since that night in Crime Alley a little more than a year ago. Whenever he thought about it he realized he could never regret his choice. Jason was a lot of trouble and more than a few gray hairs. But the kid belonged with them. He was determined, loyal and tough. He was hardworking and wanted to bring the people who hurt others to get their punishment.
Bruce had had the papers sitting on his desk for a while. He was officially Jason's guardian but he'd thought about taking another step. Though Jason had been adopted he knew the boy wasn't sure he was completely Bruce's. But before he did anything he needed the boy to say yes first.
"Jason?"
"Yeah?"
"I wanted to ask you a question. You can think about it for as long as you want and I don't mind whatever your answer is. I know you've officially been adopted but I want to make sure you actually feel like part of the family."
Jason looked up at him. Bruce took a breath and continued. "What would you think about changing your last name?"
"You can do that?" Jason asked.
"You can," Bruce nodded. "You can stay Jason Todd or even become Jason Wayne. Maybe even use both. I don't care what your decision is but the option is always open."
Jason looked at Bruce with wide eyes. He smiled tiredly. With the brightness in his eyes and smile you could barely tell he was sick anymore. "Jason Todd-Wayne."
Bruce smiled wrapping an arm around Jason. Jason leaned into Bruce unconsciously till his head was on the man's thigh. He didn't notice Bruce's gaze looking down at him. "We'll send the papers out tomorrow then. Get some rest Jason."
Jason yawned now completely curled up against Bruce. His eyes closed as he started to fall asleep. Bruce barely even heard as he answered. "Yeah, yeah. You're such a softie Dad."
Bruce stiffened but Jason didn't seem to notice as he started to snore. He grinned and ran his hand through Jason's hair reaching for another piece of popcorn. Jason was all teasing and names. But he was driven by his heart. He genuinely cared no matter how much he denied it. Bruce felt happier than he thought he could after hearing that title. Dick barely called him any sort of title like dad, only in certain moments but Jason had said it so nonchalantly Bruce couldn't help but feel that meant something much different.
Jason woke the next morning when Alfred brought him breakfast to eat upstairs in his bed. He was eating over a book when Bruce walked in. "You think you'll be feeling good enough to get out soon?"
"I hope," Jason sighed. "Man I hate being sick. But I have to say I don't mind being able to sleep in all day."
Bruce laughed. Jason smirked as well holding back a chuckle. Then he looked at Bruce the night before returning to his mind. "Bruce?"
Bruce stopped laughing. Jason continued. "You aren't mad about last night?"
"Mad?"
"Yeah."
"Why would I be? Jason I asked you if you wanted to change your name for a reason. You're part of my family. I'm just glad you think I'm part of yours as well."
Jason then did a very Dick-like thing. He moved forward across his bed and grabbed Bruce in a hug. Bruce surprised put his arms around Jason too. Bruce let go and stood off the bed. "Now finish up and get washed up. You need to get better so you can be back at school soon."
Jason groaned. "Really Dad?"
