So…

So maybe Jason had decided that running from his feelings wasn't really working.

Dick was apparently going to keep finding (and torturing. Sweet, sweet fucking torture) him, and Jason couldn't avoid him no matter how hard he ran. So he had a new plan of action: ignore them.

Now, to the casual observer, running from and ignoring his feelings may sound quite similar, but in fact there was a crucial difference: Jason would allow himself to see Dick, but he would simply try not to think about his feelings while he was doing so. It was simple. Brilliant in its simplicity. Just ignore the feelings and get to hang out with Dickie as much as he wanted. Win-win.

Jason was nervous.

He...okay so he wanted to have faith in his plan, he really did. It was brilliant and all that. But. He was worried. The thing about Dick was that he just kind of overwhelmed...everything.

There was a reason the ignore the feelings idea only extended to when he was actually with Dick — Dick was so overwhelming that Jason stood no chance of ignoring them all the time. I mean, fuck, he was never gonna get the images of Dick on that pole out of his head; he'd fucking dreamed about it. Sweet, sweet torture.

But it would be fine. Hopefully. The plan would work. Jason just had to believe.

So the next time Dick showed up on Jason's patrol route, zipping down on a grappling line from the rooftop above him as Jason was leaned back against the wall of one of the many gross, damp alleyways Gotham had to offer, smoking, Jason didn't get upset. He internally greeted his pesky feelings and informed them none too politely that he would be ignoring them for the near future.

"Hey, it's been a real quiet night. For you too?" Dick asked.

"Mm."

Dick leaned against the wall on one forearm right next to Jason, facing him. "I'm bored and looking for trouble, you got any ideas?"

Jason snorted. "You're looking for trouble so you come to me? Of course. Well sorry to disappoint, but I was gonna head in soon if it stays quiet."

Dick pouted. "Well that's no fun." He was quiet for a moment. "Wanna race to the GCPD? No grapples, just free running."

Jason took another drag of his cigarette and slowly let the smoke out. "What are we, fifteen?"

Dick grinned. "Sounds like somebody's just afraid they can't win."

"Hmm." Jason sized up the alley as he took another drag. It was narrow enough that he could jump and hold himself up on both sides, and there was an extra line of brick that stuck out about two thirds of the way up — a detail wrapped around from the store façades around the front — and Jason was betting he could reach the rooftop from there. He dropped his cigarette and crushed it under his boot. "Okay." He jumped.

He was on the roof and running in seconds, and he could hear Dick not far behind him yelling that he was a cheater.

"I'm opportunistic, baby!" he yelled back, flipping over a row of low chimneys and letting out an exhilarated laugh as he landed, stepping right back into a sprint.

They raced across the city, both of them letting out loud whoops as they leaped from rooftop to rooftop, and Dick, who had caught up to Jason, started to fall slightly behind again as he seemed unable to resist adding in unnecessary acrobatics. Jason had to admit it was incredibly impressive that he could do so many in a row and at such a high velocity, and then land them straight back into a sprint.

"Catch up, 'Wing! Thought I was supposed to be afraid I couldn't win!"

"Fuck you!" Dick yelled back, but it was followed by laughter and he pushed himself faster, drawing even with Jason just as they leaped onto the final rooftop before they reached the GCPD building.

They both sprinted all out across the final rooftop, and touched down on the roof of the GCPD at the same time, skidding to a stop halfway across the roof and both collapsing.

"Fuck was that seriously a tie?" Jason complained through gasps for air.

"Since you're a cheater and got a head start, I think that means I won."

"Oh no no no." Jason held a hand up in Dick's vague direction. "We hit the rooftop at the same time, that means it's a tie."

Dick laughed. "You're a sore fucking loser, Hood."

Jason took off his helmet and pushed his sweaty hair back off of his forehead before turning his head and sticking his tongue out at Dick. "You wouldn't know because you've never seen me lose at anything."

Dick turned his head to stare up at the sky, his face still split into a huge grin, and threw one arm out, the back of his hand coming to rest on Jason's chest just over his rapidly beating heart. "Sure."

Jason's heart was supposed to be slowing down after the physical activity, but instead it sped as he watched Dick's grinning face silhouetted in the moonlight.

~*~

Truly, Dick didn't care that Jason was a sore loser, he didn't care at all, he was just riding on the endorphin high he always seemed to have when he hung out with Jason nowadays. He threw his hand out, not caring that it was weird and probably annoying, he just wanted — needed — to touch.

He stared up at the open night sky and let his hand rest heavily on the armour over Jason's chest, and let the butterflies filling his stomach and chest take over. What was the point in fighting them? Fuck, he was just really, really into Jason Todd.