Title: #glorious
Characters/Pairings: Jason, Tim, Stephanie, Cass, Dick
Ratings/Warnings: T; rated for language
Category: Gen
Summary: In which the Bat Siblings see The Greatest Showman. Twice.
Note: The timeline doesn't make sense, but I don't care. I wanted them to see this movie at these ages, so they do. (For those who are curious, this particular oneshot is indeed set a few months before Jason's death...and a few months after Barbara is shot by the Joker). I also wrote this in a few hours, with the Greatest Showman OST playing on repeat, and it is pure fluff.
"No."
"But Jason—"
"No."
There's an exasperated huff behind him. "If you would just take a second and hear me out…"
Jason stops dead in his tracks and spins around. "You've had your second, and I heard what you asked. I still say no."
Stephanie rolls her eyes, and her dark shadow blinks up at him with big brown eyes. He doesn't need words to know Cass is asking, far more politely, to agree to their request.
Shit. They're tag-teaming him, those manipulative little shits. Cass knows that he can't say no to her when she gives him that face. She learned that early on, and of course Stephanie has caught on to that, too.
"Please, Jason? We are so bored, no thanks to your gimpy brother over here." Tim, who's been wisely silent during the loud stomp through the Manor, shifts his crutches and gives Jason a helpless shrug and apologetic smile. Not for the first time, Jason wonders where the hell Tim even picked up this little blonde pain-in-their-asses.
Not that he usually minds. Steph is hilarious, especially when she sasses at Bruce and calls him out on his bullshit. She kicks ass as Spoiler, and she's tough as nails. To be honest, she has been good for both Cass and Tim, drawing them out of what remains of their shells, and she's brought some light into the Manor, something that was sorely needed after what happened to Babs. It's nice, too, that she comes from the same background he does, if only because there are things only a Narrows kid can understand.
He thought Steph was actually really cool—far too cool for a dork like Tim, actually, but that's neither here nor there.
Note the past tense thought.
"This is the only thing on the Alfred-Approved-Activities list," Stephanie presses. "And Bruce said—"
"The fuck did Bruce say?" Jason bristles. The traitor.
"To ask you," Tim is quick to interject. "Because Dick is still in Amsterdam with the Team, you know?"
Of course."Just because I got my license last week doesn't mean I'm going to be carting your sorry asses all over Gotham."
"It's not like you're not going to get anything out of it," Steph says. "There's gonna be popcorn. And we'll even buy those disgusting sour gummy worms you like so much."
Jason pretends to consider the offer. "But, see, that's not the point. Maybe I should rephrase. I refuse to take you, specifically, to the movies. No way."
Steph gives him a sour look. "If this is about the last movie night—"
"You picked a fucking awful movie, Stephanie. It was traumatic."
"Aw, c'mon, Jason! That was one time, and—"
"You also told me that M. Night Shymalan's The Last Airbender 'wasn't that bad.'"
Tim's face contorts into a real expression of pain. "Stephanie," he says, and from the tone of his voice, you'd think he was offering his condolences at someone's wake. "You did not."
"She did," Jason says before Steph can defend herself. "So forgive me if I don't really trust your taste in movies, Brown."
"You haven't even let me tell you which one we want to see! It's actually supposed to be pretty good!"
"No," Jason says again.
Stephanie is about to round on Tim, probably to ask for backup, but Cass taps on Stephanie's wrist, stopping her mid-spin. Stephanie immediately looks at her and smiles when Cass makes a loose fist and rubs her thumb over her knuckles.
"Oh, right! Good point, Cass." Steph turns back to Jason. "You'll like it, I promise. It's got Hugh Jackman in it!"
"Who?"
"Oh my God, Jason," Tim says, looking pained again, because apparently it is just criminal not to know every name of every actor in Hollywood. "Hugh Jackman? The guy who played Wolverine?"
"Oh," Jason says, and damn it all to hell, his interest is piqued. He tries not to showcase it. "Him."
"You liked Logan, didn't you?" Tim asks.
"Well, yeah, but—"
Stephanie, the bloodhound she is, can smell him weakening. "It's a musical too," she sing-songs.
There were only a handful of people who knew of his weakness for musicals and plays. It used to be a secret shared between him and Alfred, until Jason forgot himself and lost his collective shit when Fox decided to broadcast Grease: Live. There were multiple witnesses, and it was still talked about to this day. Jason knows immediately who would dare to use that as ammo against him. Tim, the little fucker, responds to Jason's death glare with a smirk. "If you weren't already injured, kid…" Jason threatens.
Cass tugs on his sleeve, diverting his attention. "Please?" she asks.
Jason considers her and then the other two, who've turned on their brightest, most expectant smiles.
He folds. "Fine."
~…~
Jason has very few expectations going in. He doesn't even know the name of the movie until Stephanie says it at the ticket window.
"The Greatest Showman?" Jason repeats to Tim, who's been lagging behind as the girls run ahead to the concession stand. Considering the mildly pinched expression on his face, he's probably been using the crutches far more than he's used to. "What the fuck did you drag me to?"
Tim grins at him. "Don't judge a movie by its title, Jason."
"…You have no idea what we're seeing either."
"Nope," Tim says cheerfully.
Jason smells a scam—because Little Mr. Trivia Guru should know exactly what he's seeing—and he grabs Tim's arm, a little more roughly than he intended. The kid nearly topples over, and Jason has to maneuver him back into balance. "Hang on. You never talked to Bruce, did you? Do you even have Alfie's permission to be out of the house right now?"
Tim purses his lips, and Jason knows what that means. He begins to laugh. "Well played, Babybird. You do know I'm probably the last person you need to manipulate into getting you out of the Manor when you're on house arrest, right?"
"Sure," Tim says easily. "But this way you won't get into trouble when we get home."
"Ha," Jason snorts. "So you think."
"I'll make sure of it," Tim says confidently. "It's not your fault you believed me when we lied to you and said we had permission."
Jason knows that's not going to be Bruce's argument—because you should know better, Jason; you shouldn't be so reckless, Jason; you need to be more responsible, Jason; you need tothink, Jason—but he nods anyway and tries not think about what'll happen when they get home. Instead he ruffles Tim's hair and says, "This better be a fucking fabulous movie."
The girls find their way back to them, arms overflowing with overpriced snacks and drinks, and Jason dutifully takes a majority of it from them as they giggle and dance ahead, teasing Tim for moving so slow and mocking Jason simply because they think they can get away with it.
Newsflash: they won't be. Next time he's overseeing their training, they'll get what's coming to them. Or Steph will at least. Cass is already his superior, and he's not ashamed to admit it. Nothing he throws at her will phase her.
But Jason Todd's nothing if not creative. He'll find another way.
They settle into their seats just as the previews start, and Jason has to give the kids credit for planning their escape from the Manor as well as they did. They must've had a schedule together from the very get-go.
Tim's doing, no doubt.
Jason zones out through most of the previews, munching on popcorn and shushing Steph every other breath. Eventually, he gives up, empathizing with her bright eyes and hyperactive excitement, if only because he remembers what it was like. Once upon a time, going to the movies was a luxury, something he never could have done for the simple "hell of it." He can give her this.
She shuts up the moment the first song of the movie begins, melodic chanting and a driving beat stunning her into silence. A silhouette of Hugh Jackman is highlighted by floodlights and interspersed by title slides. He tips his hat to the stomping feet in the stands, singing voice soft, and Jason knows, within seconds, from the cinematography and building anticipation of the song alone, he's in for a treat.
He's not disappointed. The music crescendos, and Jackman flies into the Center Ring (Center Ring?), horses prancing in his wake.
Holy shit. Is this a fucking circus movie?
Jason looks to his right, to grin and nudge at Dick, but when he sees a stranger instead of his older brother, he stops short and feels a rush of guilt, followed swiftly by something that feels a lot like melancholy.
(He doesn't miss Dickhead. Not at all.)
His mood doesn't last long. Jason is drawn into the movie immediately. The first scene is grand, imaginative, and visually stunning, and from the corner of his eye, Jason can see Cass watching the dancers with such blatant awe he can't help but smile fondly.
That's the last time Jason thinks to look at any of the kids. He's downright enchanted, even during the cheesier scenes, because he can appreciate just how much coordination, stamina, and strength it takes to pull off some of the choreography. And the music? Screw everyone else, he's going to be listening to the soundtrack for weeks after this.
And fuck him, that Phillip guy is hot.
The most prevalent thought he has throughout the nearly two-hour-long movie, though, is this one: Dick needs to see this.
The moment the movie is over, Jason turns to Tim. Tim's already staring at him, and Jason says what they're both thinking. "We need to bring Dick."
~…~
So they do.
Tim's ankle is healed, and Jason's no longer grounded. Cass has learned to say a few more words, and she's using them beautifully. It's been a week since they saw The Greatest Showman, and all they've been able to talk about is how they want to surprise Dick.
It's a bit pathetic, really, but there's nothing that excites or amuses a Bat more than surprising someone. If that someone is another Bat? Hell, it becomes near orgasmic.
The moment they hear Dick and the others are back at Mount Justice, already debriefed and resting after their success, they take one look at each other and race to the Cave. They pause just long enough to stick masks onto their faces. If all goes well, they won't need them for long anyway. Cass is first to the Zeta tube, and they pile in, nearly on top of one another.
Jason's the first out, and he ignores the other heroes lingering in the common room. He, Tim, and Cass beeline for Dick's assigned room, where they're met by Wally's broad yellow shoulders.
"Move, West," Jason says, and when Wally nearly jumps out of his skin (ha ha) and gapes dimwittedly at him, he decides to push right by. Cass does one better and ducks around Wally without trouble, Tim following on her heels.
Dick stands in the center of his room, half-dressed in his Nightwing gear, and he blinks incredulously at them. His face is just beginning to light up when Jason grabs his arm and tugs him forward. Tim, always thinking ahead, throws a pair of jeans at Dick, who catches them with his face.
"Get dressed, Bigbird," Jason demands.
"Wha—?"
"Sh," Cass hushes. "Dress. Surprise."
Dick's grin is blinding. "Sure, Cassie. See you later, Wally?"
Wally gives him a tired salute. "Yeah, we'll talk later, dude. It looks like you've got some Birds to entertain."
Dick takes advantage of Wally's leaving by somehow swiping Jason, Tim, and Cass into a big embrace. "Awww, did you guys miss me?" he asks, nuzzling into Tim's hair.
Jason struggles out of the grip. "In your dreams, Dickiebird."
"We have something to show you!" Tim adds. "So let's go."
"Alright, cool your jets," Dick says, laughing. "I literally just finished debriefing with Batman."
Dick herds them outside his room, and within minutes, they're all heading right back to the Zeta. Tim and Jason are leading, and Cass has Dick by the hand, dragging him as he fights with his last shoe.
Later, Jason would hear Black Canary, M'gann, and Superman mention how adorable it was that all three of them came to snatch Dick the moment they knew he was back, and he'd scowl.
(They didn't understand just how important this was. They probably never would.)
Dick tries to get them to spill the beans the entire way to the theater, but they distract him by talking about school, about how Tim (moronically) sprained his ankle on patrol, about Cass's new interest in hip-hop and breakdancing, about Bruce and the most recent scandal that had been "leaked" to the press. Dick, true to form, soaks it all in, and tells them stories about his month-long mission with the Team in Amsterdam's Red-Light District.
He is halfway through a stupidly, yet conscientiously PG version of a story about Conner's first experience in a strip club when they pull into the movie theater parking lot. "A movie?" he asks, bemused. His eyes widen, and he whips toward them. "A new Star Wars movie didn't come out while I was gone, did it?"
Tim laughs. "I love how panicked you sound. We would've told you right away if that were the case."
"Give us some credit," Jason adds. "We don't mess around with Star Wars. And Bruce would be here for that shit, too."
Dick blinks. "Right," he says slowly. "So what are we seeing?"
They don't answer him. As planned, Tim corrals Dick toward the popcorn while Cass and Jason purchase the tickets. Dick allows them to manhandle him into a seat right in the center of the second-to-last row, and they flock around him.
Again, Tim has timed it perfectly. They only manage to work themselves into the beginnings of a popcorn fight before the lights dim, and they're forced to settle down.
Dick is very obviously weirded out by how much attention is on him, which Jason finds kind of hilarious, especially when Dick tries, and fails, to read their expressions and body language like Cass does. He eventually gives up and ignores them in favor of watching the previews, providing a stupid running commentary the entire time.
Finally, the movie starts, and Dick's eyebrows skyrocket when hears the first few notes of The Greatest Show. "A musical?" he murmurs.
"Sshh," Jason shushes.
Dick's expression becomes steadily more and more puzzled until the very moment P.T. Barnum flips his coat tails and signals for lights to hit the Center Ring. He jerks forward, hands whipping out to grip both Tim and Jason's arms. His blue eyes are wide as he looks between his brothers. "This isn't…?" he asks.
"Watch the damn movie," Jason whispers.
Jason doesn't take his own advice. He watches Dick instead. Dick's stunned expression morphs into one of pure joy, his smile splitting his face as the rest of the circus comes into the forefront of the scene, and Jason can't help but smile, too, when Dick sees the single snapshot of the trapeze and starts to laugh in complete wonderment.
When Barnum's flashback starts, Jason settles back, feeling pleased with himself. Behind Dick's chair, he and Tim bump fists. Cass crawls over Tim's lap, sitting right on top of him, just to hold Dick's hand. Tim has to lean around her to watch the movie, but he doesn't seem to mind.
And in the end, it's probably for the best that Cass knew before any of them did. Jason had assumed that this might be a bit of an emotional movie for Dick, of course, but he never expected the waterworks during A Million Dreams, of all songs.
He supposes he probably should have expected it, considering everything he's learned about John and Mary Grayson over the years. Dick wipes his face as discreetly as he can, but he's not really fooling anyone. Jason slides him some napkins and doesn't comment. He won't make fun of him for this. Never this.
Dick is just as entranced as Jason was the first time they saw the movie. Perhaps even more so. There is one instance, though, when Dick starts shifting in his chair, distinctly uncomfortable with the content on screen. It's during the protestor scenes, and it comes to a head when P.T. Barnum shuts the members of the circus out of Jenny Lind's after-party. Dick stands abruptly, and when Tim makes a noise of discontent, Dick mutters, "I can't. I'm sorry, I can't watch…"
Jason grabs his wrist and guides him back down. "Just wait. Trust me."
The Bearded Lady starts belting out This is Me, and Dick's predictably spell-bound again, scooting the edge of his seat, elbows on his knees. Jason catches Cass's gaze behind Dick's back, and she nods, a soft smile on her face.
He can see it, too. All three of them had known that this song, in particular, would resonate most strongly with their brother.
Dick remains captivated the remainder of the movie, and by the very end, he's crying silently again, a nostalgic smile quirking at his lips when they show a quick image of kids running toward the Big Top. That smile doesn't fade all throughout The Greatest Show reprise, and it lingers even after the credits begin to roll.
Jason, Tim, and Cass wait for Dick as the lights brighten and others begin to file out. They let him absorb it all without interruption.
Eventually Dick wipes his face again and slips out of his chair, crouching as he faces all three of them. "Thank you," he says. "Thank you so much. For taking me to see this."
Jason nods, fighting a smile, and Cass reaches out to touch Dick's face. "Glorious," she enunciates slowly, as though tasting each syllable.
"No apologies," Tim adds.
"Yeah," Dick agrees. "Not a one."
Is that an openly bisexual Jason Todd I see? Why, yes, yes it is. ;)
(Apologies if the spacing is off around italicized words. I try to catch all those errors whenever I copy fics over from Archive of Our Own, but I always fail to miss some).