Merry Christmas everyone!
The guilt settled heavily in his stomach the second Jason left the manor. He was just so angry at Bruce, that he needed to get away least he started killing. Dick was safe at the manor and he wasn't alone. The kid was home, with the people he missed and loved, so what right Jason had to take him away from that? Besides Jason wasn't even sure Dick would want to go with him anyway. Why would he? Bruce was right. Dick had everything he needed at the manor.
With that he managed to ease his guilty conscience to actually get some sleep, only to be woken up by angry-but-not-angry-at-him update on Dick's faring at the manor courtesy of Damian. The guilt Jason managed to soothe came back with a vengeance.
Of course Dick would want to have all his family there with him. And whether Jason liked it or not, he was family. Dick was adamant about it since the moment he learned who Red Hood really was. And no matter how many bullets, knives, punches, kicks, threats and curses Jason threw at him, he never stopped considering Jason as his little brother. Maybe a little insane, lost and misguided, but still a brother.
And what Jason did? He left him, after he promised he wouldn't. After many reassurances he wouldn't do that, despite Dick's thickheaded idea, that he would disappear the first moment he was sure he wasn't needed. Yeah, Dick didn't say a word about that, but Jason just knew he was ready for the eventuality. Oh God, the idiot probably thought it was his clinginess that drove Jason away and probably will close up even more. That was bad, because this issue got them in this mess in the first place.
Jason groaned. Okay he needed to do something to make everyone happy. Somehow. Shit. Why him? It was Dick's job. Shit. Again. Jason never appreciated how much juggling Dick had to do to keep everything balanced in their brooding family. Even with invaluable help from Alfred it was still a lot work to do.
But whatever. Jason decided to focus on Dick first, then deal with everything else later.
He went to Blüdhaven. First to his safe house to get his things, then to Dick's apartment. He dumped his clothes in the spare drawer for emergencies as he planned earlier. Then he packed rest of the stuff he got for mini Nightwing. If he was staying at the manor he would need his new favorite pajamas. And it would stave Dick's eventual meltdown when they would get him something he wouldn't like to wear. Which was a huge possibility, since Bruce looked like he would burn Red Hood's shirts the second he could get his hands on them without anyone knowing. On the other hand he was like that with every piece of clothing with superheros theme that wasn't Batman, so they sort of get used to that. Still, it didn't mean the suddenly disappearing clothes weren't annoying.
Hm, he'll need to ask Replacement to record Bruce's demise if he would somehow manage to get his hands on Nightwing-Red Hood pajamas under Dick's watch. And if Jason went to the store and bought another set. Well, nobody needed to know that.
Jason also cleaned Dick's fridge, because it would take a while before the spell would be broken. And while he was at it he cleaned the rest of the apartment as well. Fortunately he didn't need to do much, since Dick cleaned just before he was turned into a child.
For now Red Hood headed back to Gotham. He had a lot stuff to do and prepare. He would drop Dick's things at the manor on his way to patrol when the Bat would be long gone on his own patrol. Maybe, if Dick still even wanted to see him and was up to it, he would take Tiny Nightwing on patrol again despite and because Bruce's wishes. Jason wouldn't mind keeping to low profile patrols for a while if it meant making Dick happy.
His plans had to change however. In the afternoon he got a call from Tim to let him know he could pick a very willing to come with him Dick up and he wouldn't be stopped doing so.
Well, that was a fine development.
Jason hesitated a moment, thinking about the things he would need to do in this case and declared he would come for Dick after his patrol. Then he got to work.