A/N) Ok, maybe this is going to be longer - like more than four chapter, maybe six - I don't know yet, inspiration has struck and well - now I just have to write, although I am being torn between writing or practicing my digital drawing -
I'll - make due . . .
I hope you like this chapter, it has some meat to it now - and fluff of course - but it moves the story forward.
Motivation is your superpower.
"What. The hell. Are you guys. Doing here!"
"Heh - uh - hiya Jason, mmmm we're just checking to make sure you're ok, haven't seen you in a while soooo - " Stephanie smiles in what she can only pray is a polite and placating smile because the way Jason Todd was looking at them she may as well have had her grave dug up already . . .
Seriously, this guy is worse than Bruce about personal space.
He's still glaring, wuh-oh, better say something else quick, Calm him down. "Um, so - whatchya been up to?" She straightens from the floor she was crouching on - it was Damian's fault, the brat shoved her in first before she expected it to 'test the waters' or whatever . . . coward.
"None of you're business, this is my turf and whatever you guys want you are not going to get so get your ass's up and get lost before I - "
"Pennyworth sent us."
Stephanie will never cease to be amazed by the sheer 360 any of the boys facial expression do when Alfred's name is mentioned. Smart move Demon brat - smart.
Jason whirls on Damian who is looking around as if he's not looking around at all, face pulled into an expressionless scowl. Wait - that's just his resting face.
Steph rolls her blues at him. Little snob.
"What does Alfred want?" Jason snaps, though with less poison in his voice now. "He usually just calls or comes over if he needs somethin'."
Steph swears that's worry in the guys face. Huh - Alfie was so good at this.
"He just wants to know if you've seen - "
A loud crash stops Stephanie in the middle of her sentence. All three look around to find - in Stephanie's opinion- the cutest dark haired kid with a pot in his hand and a mile wide grin on his little round face and -daaaaawwwww. He's even cuter up close!
"What - is that?" Damian actually looks shocked for a good minute as he stares at the younger boy in front of him.
Jason suddenly looks exhausted for some unknown reason as he walks over to the small party addition and takes the pot out of his chubby hand. "I told you to wait - do you even listen to me when I talk?"
Wha - Steph and Damian both glance at each other with mutually confused and surprised faces. Jason - sounds - like a - like - a dad? Sorta - or just a really tired babysitter . . .
The kid giggles.
Steph wants to pick him up and squeeze - she refrains valiantly - she deserves a gold medal for this - seriously, she's pretty sure this is what an alcoholic feels like after going sober and trying to keep away from the stuff - must - squeeze . . .cute, adorable chibi child!
"C'mon, lemme get you some breakfast." Jason says almost softly, clearly ignoring his unwanted company and lifts the kid up - then he seems to recall them gaping behind him and turns to glare - which is significantly turned ten times less scary because of the chub-ball latched onto his neck . . .
Must. Squeeze -
"When I get back you'd better be gone." He snaps, totally not in the mood here.
Stephanie nods absently - eyes unable to take away from the picture of big tough strong Jason holding a tiny delicate butterball like it was a precious and breakable treasure and - her stomach twists . . . it looks good on him - the gentleness - shit -
"Where did you get him and where can I find one." She blurts out without thinking - that was a major character flaw for her.
Jason raises a brow at her. "Seriously. Get. Out." And he almost stomps into the kitchen.
The blond girl resists the urge to coo after him. Seriously. Gold medal.
"Tt, whatever - let's go, Todd clearly wants to be an idiot and I doubt he'd know anything about Drakes disappearance anyway."
"Hey!" Jason suddenly yells from the kitchen surprising the younger heros as the little boy comes running out of the kitchen with a wooden spoon laughing that unbelievably infectious laugh only little people had.
To everyone's shock the baby shrimp actually throws himself at stoic Damian, who suddenly looks much - much taller and hides himself in the kids shirt while squealing in laughter.
Stephanie watches as the kids face goes slightly pink and awed - at the tiny thing clutching at him and giggling. Must be because every other kid is terrified of him and this lil' guy was - using him as a shield from Jason who sighed loudly, eyes going skyward as if to ask for help from something up there.
"Unhand me you - you runt."
"Um - he's a toddler Dami, can't you just be nice." Steph humphs, she wants to hold him so badly. She crosses her arms to keep the urge under control.
"C'mon kid, just - let's go so these two idiots can leave - "
"Hey!"
"Hey!"
Jason ignores them both.
The toddler just laughs and drags on Damian harder who actually looses his balance for a second, maybe on purpose - though Steph's pretty sure it was just out of curiosity he would never admit to having - and falls to his knees in front of the little blue eyed angel.
"What?" He only has a mild snap in his voice as the little guy suddenly brings two small hands up and pats both sides of Damian's face.
"Damiiiiiii!" He coos in total happiness.
"What-" Damian looks utterly confused.
Steph stops. Dami? The kid knows - She looks at Jason who looks like he needs, like, ten aspirins. Come to think of it -
"Hey Jay - you haven't seen Tim around have you?"
"How the hell does this thing - "
"Toddler."
"Whatever - know my name, Todd!"
"He was last seen with you Jason, did he say anything before leaving?"
"How? How could he, I've never seen him before today - is this some kind of joke you taught him?"
"C'mon Jason, Alfie and everyone are all really worried. He hasn't picked up his phone in a couple 'o days so if you do know - tell us before Batman gets involved in his over-dramatic way. Seriously."
"Get him off me. I demand answers, Todd!"
"Shut up!" Jason suddenly blows up, hands flinging out and slamming his palm against the wall which shook -Steph's pretty sure it cracked inside - he looks pissed for real this time.
Then a whimper cuts through the dramatic pause.
They all turn to see Damian's pale face as the kid - still holding on to him - starts to tear up and - lip - wobble . . . Steph's not sure she can handle the temptation of the lip wobble . . .god - she - she -
Jason shoves her aside and is in front of the kid in two seconds. "Hey, hey, sorry squirt - here - " he picks up the kid and glares at them, "get lost. I'm done - next time I say it I'll blindfold the kid and shoot you."
Stephanie suspects he's being serious now.
Damian is still stunned but - he nods absently. "We'll - tell Pennyworth you lost Drake and - about him."
The sigh that Jason lets out could be interpreted to mean many things. 'I hate you guys,' 'I hate my life,' 'I'm so done,' 'Fuck my life,' 'I need a snack ' . . . really it could be either one.
"Fuck you both."
Dang - she missed that one.
"Ok, see ya Jason."
"Don't bother."
And they were out, standing outside a wearing door, staring at said wearing door.
"So - should we - "
"Find out where that child came from."
Stephanie shakes her head - "But we can't possibly, Jason won't say and we still have the case of the missing Tim and - was he just adorable or what!"
Damian scoffs. "Keep your head out of the clouds Brown - this may be solved easier than you think." He points at his shirt.
The blond blinks. "What? You want me to straighten it or something?" She teases.
The younger boy glares. "No. Idiot - it's the - child's saliva, he - "
"Drooled on you when he nuzzled you like a prickly teddy bear!" Stephanie lights up like a Christmas tree and claps in victory.
Damian glares, miffed that she took his punch line, but nods. "Now - "
"To the bat computer Robin!" And she flies off before Damian can exact his terrible revenge on her for pulling off a 'Dick Grayson' . . .
"Nosy bastards." Jason mutters to himself as he turns off the faucet and tests the bath with a finger. Slightly warmer than blood temperature - good enough. He doesn't get why they have to be so nosey all the time - well, ok so they were looking for Tim and it was only logical to ask the last person he was with about where he was and in this case Jason actually knew - but still!
They didn't have to go and mess with the kid because -
Jason sighs for what feels like the millionth time that day and presses his forehead against the plastic rim of the tub. Facts were facts. They were looking for Tim. If they can't find him or he doesn't show up - which he won't - then Batman will get involved and - shit . . . Jason sighs again.
"Hey Timbo! C'mon, bath time!"
It's silent.
Jason feels those paranoid neck prickles go up and decides he'd better go check on the punk.
"Timmy? Tim, where did you - oh, come on." He slumps in exasperation when he finds the kid has escaped - he wants to play.
Jason sighs yet again and goes to find him. "Here I come, ready or not! Where are ya Timbo, I'm gonna getchya and when I do - " He pokes under the couch with his foot, sneaks a peek inside his closed, checks the cabinets - where the hell did he -
A giggle gives him the answer. Jason smirks and tip toes around back to the room and sure enough - Tim's hiding under the bed. Obviously.
"Hmm, I wonder where Tim could have gone." He puts on a show just to amuse the kid and clomps around looking confused as he flops on the bed. "No really - kid's just too smart for me. Guess I'll never find him now." He rolls over the edge and pokes his head upside down and roars.
Tim shrieks and laughs as he tries to scramble away just as Jason latches one big hand on his little ankle and pulls him out effortlessly. The toddler is red and laughing so hard he's forgotten how to breath as Jason continues with his fake monster sounds and rolls over on the bed, holding the kid up in the air and pretending like he's a superbaby.
"Smart ass, think you can pull one over me huh - do ya, do ya!" Jason laughs, the sound feeling only a bit foreign to his ears, but plenty good to the rest of him as he flips the kid on the bed and proceeds in tummy raspberries.
The laughter has by now turned into desperate squealing as Timmy gasps, totally red and teary.
Jason laughs against the brats tiny bubble belly and looks up at him through his now -thanks to Tim- scuffled bangs. He lets the kids wheezes calm down and just watches the brat giggle in the aftermath of calming down and wonders - did any of them ever have a childhood like this?
He doesn't know if he did - his mom was ok and all, but - he's pretty sure it wasn't this level of attachment - he doesn't know. Dick might have - his parents loved him. Damian - no, that was impossible. Ra's al-Ghul, the demons head, giving tiny Damian a belly raspberry? Hah - Jason snorts out loud at that one. And he's pretty sure Tim didn't have this level of attachment with his parents either.
"Dayson?"
Jason looks up at the kid, baby Tim blinks his big clear blue eyes at him actually looking worried for a second. Jason hums against his belly and sits up. "Time for a bath squirt. Cuz' Alfred would kill me if he finds out about you and that I didn't give you one." He helps the tiny kid up and heads towards the bathroom.
"Ducky?" Tim asks looking up at Jason with puppy eyes.
"Yah - sure kid, let's get the ducky." He's pretty sure he bought one too.
The bath went on better than expected, very little fuss and water splashes, before Jason knows it he's got the kid washed, fed, and dressed in fuzzy batman footsie Pj's and settled in bed.
Huh - if he was willing to admit it - maybe Jason had a knack for this kids stuff - which would be totally weird and . . .weird.
"Book, Dayson, 'tory!" Tim shakes and starts biouncing as he points at the small stack of storybooks Jason had.
"Ok Timbo, hang on." Jason shifts so he's seated against the wall and Tim crawls into his lap. "Ready?"
Tim nods.
"Good. Ok - " Jason cracks open the book. "This is a story about a prince and a pauper.. ."
Jason doesn't know when it happened.
He really doesn't - maybe he does, it's a blur, but looking at the kid now, all warm and soft and squishy, snoring gently, nearly buried in blankets on the bed - Jason's come to a startling fact.
He doesn't want to give the kid up.
He doesn't want the kid to go back to Bruce only to be set aside until necessary and tired and depressed and unable to be happy . . . Jason never noticed before but - older Tim and him had a bunch in common, not a lot in terms of morels and anger issues and weapons choices but - in the more emotional aspect. Always trying to be better, never really getting where they want to. Always being second best to someone and - Jason knows how much it can hurt on bad days. The desperation, the nightmares, the pain and sometimes the fear of loosing yourself . . . Jason's already been there, Tim fights himself to keep away from getting there . . . He doesn't need to get back to that.
Why should he.
The world had enough super hero's. They didn't need a seventeen year old kid that acts like he's fifty. They don't need Tim Drake cleaning up their messes and never thanking him. Tim doesn't need to be a caffeine addicted, stressed out, over achieving teenager that doesn't know when to stop and take a break.
Jason doesn't want to put the kid back up there. He doesn't want to give him back the stress and exhaustion.
And on a more selfish note - he doesn't want to give this kid up. Not to Bruce, not to anyone.
"Oh my god." Stephanie breaths in the dark, eyes stuck on the giant computer screen wedged into the stone walls.
Damian just nods, clearly agreeing, face carefully expressionless.
"Hey guys, Alfred wants to know what you - guys?" Dick comes down the stairs carefully and finds the two younger hero's staring at the screen like shocked zombies.
"What's gong on guys?" He shifts closer and stops as Stephanie points at the screen.
Up on it was a profile of Tim, next to it was a scan of DNA that matched and - "What? Why are you guys doing a DNA scan?" Dick was confused. They were supposed to be finding out where Tim was, not scanning his DNA for - what were they doing?
"Grayson - we went to see Todd like Pennyworth said to."
"He had this epically adorable kid, you know that."
"Yah, so?" Dick was still confused.
Steph pales. "That kid, Dick - "
"It's his DNA we were scanning - " Damian says, face stiffer than usual.
Dick scratches his head and then - you could see the moment his brain cleared it up. His eyes widen as he turns back to the screen. "You mean that tiny mystery kid Jason has - is - "
"Is Timothy Drake."