Chapter 3 – To want a Beast
Tim had been released three months ago and Robin was back on the roofs. When Jason stopped to look at it, he had to admit the kid's judgment could entirely be trusted again, even to Bruce's strict standards.
It still hurt that Tim got to go, while he still wasn't.
Dick had pushed for it, Jason knew. They could easily find him a new name – Dick had mentioned Jaybird, because he didn't have any consideration whatsoever for hidden identities – and transform the dynamic duo into a trio.
That wouldn't work, of course, but it was good to know someone wanted him to be back. Yet, Bruce and Tim worked well together, or well enough for Jason to know he'd just break the equilibrium they'd found. Batman needed a Robin – he didn't need a third heel.
So the real reason why Jason was being on monitoring duty since he was back would be that Bruce didn't trust him to be on his own. Which made sense. Jason didn't trust himself for that either – not yet.
Would he ever?
"Brooding again, bluebird?" Barbara asked in the com.
"That would be the dickhead", Jason answered, annoyed.
"Alright, mockingbird. You're still brooding."
"I turned 17 last week and I feel like I'm still 14", he sighed.
She laughed.
"You still will when you'll be 20, I'm afraid. Parents do that to you."
"I thought I had gotten rid of that when they both died", Jason grumbled.
"They you should have thought about it twice before getting adopted", she shot back, smile audible in her voice.
Friends were people with which one could joke about dead parents without getting one's head bitten off. That even included Tim whose humor was less dark than Jason's but who got jokes for what they were and didn't mind.
It was still better with Babs, though. Her humor could be exactly as bad as his when she was in the mood.
"Your father might make you feel like this too", Jason said, "but everyone knows you're amazing, beautiful."
"Stop moping, will you? Or are you actually fishing for compliments?"
Jason pouted. He totally could, there was no one else in the Cave to see him.
"I'm not. Though I wouldn't mind some."
"Oooh, Jay, you're so handsome, so intelligent…"
"Yeah, and modest too", Jason pointed out, grinning. "By the way, where you calling for something specific or are you just killing time?"
She sighed.
"Doing a stakeout. Nothing fancy, some minor dealer I hope to be a link to bigger fish."
Jason pulled a face. Now that was something he didn't miss at all.
"My condolences. How much time?"
"Only an hour."
An hour too much, from where Jason was standing.
"Could you just put a camera somewhere? Or, you know, call the GCPD on this?"
"You're aware this is usual stuff for me, right?"
"If that's what it means to fly solo, I'm glad to be in the Cave right now", Jason grumbled.
He wasn't fooling anyone, but he could try. Damn, if he'd reached the point where even a stakeout sounded interesting…
Perhaps he should ask her if he could come along. Bruce didn't need anyone at the console – he'd always done without. It was just a way to occupy Jason so he wouldn't feel entirely useless. And it didn't even work.
"Gotta go, bird boy, I have an opening!"
And, just like that, Babs turned off the com. Which was normal, she had work to do.
She was right, he really ought to stop brooding.
Jason opened the files and tried to get to work.
sososo
Why had Clark even thought that letting Lex visit from time to time would be a good idea?
It had gone like this. He'd warned Lex that Kon was back, and Lex and answered with a "Good" that had sounded both cold and tired. Clark, stupid that he was, had remembered his face when he had looked at Kon on the screen and had asked "Say, why don't you come to visit from time to time?"
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
But then, the alternative would have been to let Kon got at Lex's and, somehow, that had sounded even worse.
"Put it there", Lex ordered to the movers. "Right in the corner."
"Or", Clark tried, "you could use my desk."
Lex glared at him.
"You mean the table you stuck between your couch and that horrid lamp? It doesn't have half the space I need." He smirked. "Though it's full of your files. Maybe I should take this as an invitation."
Clark smiled politely. Lex could try as much as he wanted to find anything important at his flat.
"I'm sure you would be more comfortable."
With any ordinary person, that would have closed the conversation. Whoever would have ordered the movers away, along with the horrible black, sleek desk they tried to put in his living room.
Since Lex was not ordinary, he merely turned back at the men to nod.
"Yes, exactly there."
Clark took a good breath.
"Lex. I'm not letting you adding furniture to my place. If you want to work, do it at LexTower. If you want to spend time with Kon, don't take business along."
"I'm a busy man."
"I'm not forcing you to come."
Why, why had it sounded like a good idea, again? Maybe he had been struck on the head with a big kryptonite rock. Or something.
Lex smiled unpleasantly. Clark interrupted whatever line he had ready by raising his hands.
"You're doing this to piss me off. It worked. Now what do you want?"
"If I have the right to spend time with my son, it shouldn't have to be with you", Lex answered right away, starting the negotiations.
Of course it would be about that.
"We talked about this."
"We didn't. You decided the rules by yourself. If you don't trust me to handle this…"
"Could you at least make them take that damn desk away…?"
"Gosh", someone interrupted. "If I hadn't known better, I would have thought you were an old couple."
They both turned to Kon, who was staring at them, amazed.
"I mean, really", he went on. "Do you do that when you're in costume too?"
Lex snorted.
"I don't wear any primarily colored thighs."
"Does a green and purple body armor mean anything to you?" Kon pointed out. "And I mean, apple green and violet. Seriously. You don't have anything to say about blue and red."
Lex seemed to allow the point. Clark tensed. Usually, it meant he was about to score a much higher victory right ahead.
Then Lex waved at the movers, who left the room, leaving the desk there.
"I'm guessing you interrupted because you had something constructive to add to the conversation?"
Kon rolled his eyes.
"If you really want to call it a conversation, yeah." He turned to Clark. "I'm big enough to make my own decisions." Then he glared at Lex. "Which doesn't mean I am to be used. Nor is Kal! If you keep annoying him for no good reason like you just did, you can go your own way."
Lex raised his eyebrows.
"Define a good reason."
Considering Kon's expression, Clark wasn't going to be the only one having a Lex-headache anymore. Then Kon squinted at him, inquisitive, and suddenly Clark got afraid that he would get twice more of those instead.
"Consider the broader definition, because I get to choose when you cross the line."
"And I guess it's not up to debate."
Lex sounded amused. Alright, now Clark was starting to get scared.
"Nope, it's not", Kon confirmed. "So. The desk goes away and what do you think about lunch tomorrow?"
"Wait a minute", Clark started.
"What did you not understand in 'not up to debate', Kal?" Lex asked, annoyed. "And here I thought you were the easygoing one."
"I am!" Clark protested. "But we are not among friends here, we are parents."
He saw Kon mouth 'he totally isn't' – and there was the headache. This was going to be even harder than he had thought. Because of course Lex would play the cool-parent part, which only left to Clark the responsible-parent. Which he always had been, but it sounded much less annoying when there wasn't someone to be compared to.
"Clark. Don't you trust me to just go there, eat, then come back home?"
Sometimes, it was clear as day that Kon wasn't 100% Clark's clone, too. He sure didn't get the manipulative vibe from him.
Or it was from frequenting bats. Tim was much less innocent than his appearance led to believe.
"This isn't about not trusting you", Clark started.
"But it is!"
"I know you're going to come back home every time. But he is going to…"
"Kal is afraid of the bad influence I might have on you", Lex explained.
Kon raised his eyebrows. It was hard to see any resemblance in their faces, all with Lex being bald and his oh so noticeably green eyes, but Clark was sure they did look alike. In their expressions if nothing else.
"If he is, why would he allow us to be near each other at all?"
"That's a very good question. Kal?"
"Stop calling me this when we are in plain clothes."
"Is your home that unsafe for you not to be yourself in it? If that's so, maybe Kon would be safer at LexCorp tower."
Clark glared. Which was totally ineffective on Lex, even when he got all red-eyed, so he didn't know why he wasted his time trying.
Lex smiled, knowing he'd just scored. The bastard.
"I am not even discussing this. And before you start again Kon, yes, you may go. But we'll talk about how that went later."
"It's not fair!"
"Lex is a supervillain…"
"That still has to be proved."
"… and I'm not going to treat the situation as ordinary, because it isn't", Clark finished.
Kon started sulking – and was back at looking like a younger Clark. Usually, he felt it most disturbing, the two of them being so much alike. This time, it was reassuring.
Perhaps that was him starting to assume his role as parent. About time, whispered a very Bruce-like voice in the corner of his mind. A comment he totally deserved: Kon had appeared in his life about a year before.
"Since everything is finally settled, I guess I will take my leave", Lex said.
He opened the doors, letting the movers back in. He didn't need to give any explanation; just to point at the desk. They took care of it and, one minute later, it was all as if nothing ever happened.
Except, tomorrow, Kon was going to have lunch with Lex.
Clark groaned.
sososo
Jason had started school again – and was late, again – and it had been… boring. He wasn't used to that. Usually, school gave him a headache because he couldn't follow. Now… Well, he was still having a hard time because he missed part of the program, but he also found it uninteresting.
Both Bruce and Lex would have his head for thinking that, so he shut up about it and worked hard to catch up.
It didn't feel as hard as before.
He'd finished his homework and was walking down to the Cave when he turned at a corner to hit a wall.
"What the…"
"Oh, sorry! Sorry. I was looking for Tim?"
Jason blinked. A younger version of Clark Kent was standing in front of him. Aaaalright.
"Either Kal fell in a Lazarus pit or you're Superboy. I would have said nice to meet you, but you might have wanted to knock before walking around the manor", Jason said, annoyed.
"Err. Well. Usually, I just get in through Tim's window, but his room was empty, so…"
"Through a window. Yeah, that totally makes up for the lack of manners."
Now, the kid looked pissed. Jason smirked. It suited him as well as it did Clark.
Then he sighed and raised him hands.
"Alright, can we do this again? Hello, I'm Tim's friend and technically also Superboy. But you can call me Kon."
Well, maybe he was less of a moron than his original.
"Jason Todd", Jason answered, stretching his hand out.
Kon took it with a smile. And crushed it.
A second later, he was flying across the room.
"Hey! How did you even do that! Tim never managed to…"
"Oh, please", Jason rolled his eyes. "Tim might be a genius, he is a duckling learning how to fly. And don't even try to come back at me. Higher authorities decreed it was strictly forbidden to fight inside the manor."
Kon blanched. Jason realized he'd misunderstood. He snorted.
"By that, I meant Alfred, not Batman." Then, seeing Kon relax, he added: "Alfred makes him afraid, so behave."
Kon gasped, and nodded frantically.
Hell, that was cute. Jason didn't remember being that cute when he'd been 14 – probably because he hadn't been. Thank God for small mercies. In the streets, people would have thought him weak for showing emotions so blatantly on his face.
Not that Jason was good at hiding his emotions, even now. He just was angry most of the time. People had known not to piss him off.
"I think Tim is out, but he should be back in an hour or so."
"Hum, then, I'm going to, wait in his room, yes?"
Jason stared at him. Clark's features were obvious but he was also Lex's clone, wasn't he?
"Why don't you come with me at the Cave instead? He's out with B., they're going to come home through there anyway."
Kon opened wide eyes at that.
"At the Batcave? Really?"
Now, it was starting to be too much cuteness for Jason to handle. He truly was Tim's best friend, wasn't he?
"Yes, you may", Jason corrected, just because he could.
Then he turned around to go to the library. He clearly heard the kid whispering "Cool".
sososo
It was early morning and Bruce was working at his desk, enjoying the manor's quiet. He usually didn't get up before noon but he had some work to do for Wayne Enterprise, for once, and had procrastinated long enough. He could thankfully rely on Lucius most of the time but still had to take care of some of the company's business, for the name's sake.
Alfred entered the room with his usual quiet, putting a tray down on the right corner of the desk. Jasmine tea, from the smell of it, with today's mail.
Bruce expected him to leave immediately. When he didn't, he glanced up.
"Yes?"
"There has been an unusual letter today, sir. You might want to take a look at it right away."
Bruce frowned. He slowly closed the laptop he'd been working on and looked at the first envelope of the neat pile.
It came from Luthor.
"Why the hell…"
"If I may, sir, you should look at the recipient."
He obeyed with a blink, then shuddered. It was addressed to Jason P. Todd.
sososo
Jason was pissed. It wasn't even nine in the morning, on a Sunday, and yet he had been summoned to Bruce's office like a child. What could he have possibly done in the hour he'd been awake? Alfred had been as impassive as usual. He hadn't gotten anything from him.
Arriving at the door, he entered without knocking.
"What happened this time?" he asked, not trying to hide his annoyance.
Bruce glared right back at him.
"I should be the one asking questions. What is the meaning of this?"
A letter laid open on the desk. Jason frowned, then paled when he realized it was a letter for him.
"You're reading my mail!?"
"Only when it comes from supervillains."
From supervil… Lex – Luthor. It could only be him. And that would explain why Bruce was so pissed, too.
"Yeah alright, excuse accepted. Now, may I know what it says?"
He took it after Bruce's short nod, and started reading. He almost dropped it after the first few lines.
"This is a…"
He choked on the last words. Bruce finished for him:
"A proposition of internship. At LexCorp."
"That's insane", Jason mumbled.
"Glad to see you agree."
Jason blinked. Bruce was relaxing. He had thought Jason had pulled that off with Lex. Or that Jason would accept the proposition.
He went back to the letter and swallowed. Well, it was interesting.
"You don't intend to consider it, do you?"
Damn Bruce and his way to read his mind. Jason wasn't a Robin anymore, he ought to get some privacy back.
"It could be useful", he started.
"It could not. I totally forbid you to go in the lion's den by yourself."
That hurt harder than Jason would have thought. Still no trust at all. Well, fuck him.
"And why would you do that? So I can sit in the Cave and wait to turn eighteen? And then what, I'll have to keep following you around? Oh. Sorry, I'd forgotten. You don't take me along anymore! I'll stay put in my room, then!"
"Jason…"
"No, Bruce. And I forbid you to glare. This is an interesting proposition, even without taking the mission into consideration. I mean, what did you expect me to do with my life? Join Wayne enterprise? You wouldn't grant me an internship."
The man widened his eyes at that. Finally. For once, though, Jason hadn't intended to hurt him. He was starting to feel tired, tired of always being supervised, always being considered unable to handle himself. He was never intelligent enough nor careful enough.
Heh. And didn't that sound like a teenager moping?
"Don't say that like LexCorp was like any other company", Bruce said at last. "I trust you. I don't trust Luthor. Do you really want to work in a company which handles his dirty business?"
Jason shook his head.
"Of course not, but it might be usef…"
"I said no."
Bruce's tone was final. Jason gritted his teeth.
"So that's the only reason you called me? To make sure I didn't asked a supervillain to hire me? Because of course, that's the only reason why someone might want me around. Do you think it's so he could fuck me? After all, I would have to pay for the internship somehow."
He didn't wait to see Bruce's reaction at that. He didn't want to hear once again his explanation about how Jason was too stupid to take decision of his own. Instead, he got out of the office and slammed the door shut – which wasn't exactly a proof of maturity, either, but he'd been patient for three months and obviously that was useless.
Fifteen minutes later, he was knocking at Babs' door.
No one answered. He insisted, because he needed to see her or he would make a mistake.
"Come on, Babs, it's me!"
"It's always open for birdies", he heard from inside.
He rolled his eyes and entered through the open window. She was busy over a fuming oven, wearing only a towel. Her hair was dripping wet. Jason stopped a second to stare – who would blame him? – then blinked.
"Seriously?"
"I don't have Alfred around to cook for me!"
"Which is why you are unable to even open your door?"
She glared at him. This wasn't a good time for her. He glared back. For him, either.
"What did you do?" he still asked, because she did invite him in.
"I wanted to make a cake."
"That's only half of the story."
"I put it in the oven and went upstairs to take a shower while it was cooking."
He noted the lather not entirely washed away from her hair.
"Then you smelled it burning?"
She pulled a face.
"I forgot the oven gloves inside. With the cake."
Jason blinked again. Then just start laughing. She was glaring and he only laughed harder and harder until she joined him. He had to sit down, his stomach aching, tears in his eyes. That felt good.
So did the sight. Half-naked Babs giggling.
"Go finish rinsing yourself", he offered gallantly. "I'll take care of this."
"But the cake…"
"I sure would appreciate to see you bake another one dressed like that, but…"
She was climbing the stairs before he could reach the end of his sentence. Grinning, he opened the other windows to make some air and started checking on the oven. The glove only burned a little bit, there was no permanent damage. He started cleaning it, whistling.
He already felt much better.
Babs came back minutes later – dressed, unfortunately, though she still had a towel around her hair.
"Thank you", she sighed. "I'm out of eggs. I guess the cake will be for another day."
"Afraid so."
She put some water in the boiler then invited him to settle on the couch.
"Is this a social call, by the way?" She asked. "I suppose you aren't here to save my poor over?"
"You know you only have to call me, beautiful."
She frowned.
"Is it that bad?"
Jason hesitated. If he pretended nothing happened, she would follow his lead and they would spend a great day together. Then he would have to go back to the manor.
They had talked about Luthor already. She had been worried but not overwhelmingly so. Maybe she would provide a more objective input than either Bruce or himself.
"I fought with Bruce", he admitted. She rolled her eyes. "Because I received a formal proposition of internship at LexCorp."
Her face became blank.
"That's a good opportunity for you."
"Is that really what you think?" he asked, almost pleading.
Warmth came back to her features, though she sighed.
"Come here, birdboy."
She hugged him. She was a beautiful, strong woman and Jason had been half in love with her during most of his time as Robin. He wondered if that was a phase for all of them, a bit like wanting to fuck Bruce.
"He's going to make your life hell", she said.
"I think he actually means the invitation for what it is."
She raised her eyebrows.
"I was talking about Bruce."
Hmpf. Of course she'd been.
"Does that mean you think I should accept?" he insisted.
"I think it is a good opportunity. And I think you're going to accept, that we want it or not. Am I wrong?"
She might not be. When he had been freed, he had wanted to have nothing to do with Bruce and the others anymore – which had been stupid. They were his family. He had been great to be back, to realize he was still welcome. Dick was his big brother, Tim his little brother, Bruce his father – though that would always sting a bit – and Alfred their parental figure.
However, he couldn't stay at the manor. He was suffocating there, even more restrained than when he had been held in a four square meter cell. He felt useless and feared Bruce would never allow him to be back in the roofs, would never give him enough credit for him to really do anything.
Maybe that was because he had thought him dead, Jason had to admit. But still.
And there was the matter of him missing Luthor. Shit.
"You're never wrong, beautiful", Jason sighed.
"I would like it better if you weren't on your own there, you know?"
"I doubt he'd let you in. You would take him over in hours."
She grinned.
"Anyway, I can't go. Bruce wouldn't let me", Jason pointed out darkly.
She stared at him. She, too, was a bat; she could be as intense as Bruce when needed. Jason, however, was used to it. He didn't flinch.
"Would you be happy to go?"
"I dunno", he admitted easily. "But I have to try. I'm not such a fool not to come back if things go sour."
"Will you call?"
He poked at her nose.
"How could I not? If nothing, I'll have to bitch on my boss."
"Will you give me dirty footage of the two of you?"
Jason grinned.
"That's only for special occasions. But I'd forward you any dirty proof I have on him that I can find."
"Then I don't see why you shouldn't go", she concluded.
Convincing her had been easier than he would have thought. Or she just knew him too well.
Bruce would be something else entirely. But after all, Jason would be turning 18 in the summer. At worst, he would just take his things and go as soon.
Babs whacked him on the head.
"Don't do anything stupid", she said. "I will handle Bruce."
Then she smirked and Jason shuddered. He hoped she would never have any reason to smile like that while thinking about him. He almost felt sorry for Bruce.
Almost.
sososo
Jason didn't know any detail about how Babs' conversation with Bruce went, and he didn't want to. The fact was, the very next day he was summoned in Bruce's office again. The envelope was still laying on the desk.
Bruce's lips were pursed.
"I'm listening."
Well, that was a first. Better not waste the opportunity.
"The offer is interesting", Jason started. "I think that's clear. You objected because you don't want me to work in a criminal organization, which LexCorp currently is, and I agree."
"That's not very convincing."
Moron.
"However", Jason continued, "I think that might change."
Bruce frowned. He didn't get why, Jason realized. Well, then again, maybe he was being wrong, but that seemed so obvious to him…
Maybe he did trust Luthor a bit too much – to be sensible, that was it.
"Jason", Bruce insisted, annoyed.
He didn't like not to understand something. Jason shrugged.
"Well, you're making me doubt about it but I thought that would have been obvious. He has to change his ways, now. Because he wants Kon to be his son."
"You think he will adapt his behavior so Clark won't take Kon back from him", Bruce said slowly.
Jason rolled his eyes, because, seriously.
"No, moron. I think he will adapt his behavior so Kon won't walk away. And he will. He does have Kal do-gooder profile, doesn't he? He wouldn't allow his father to act like a criminal. He'd walk away all by himself."
"And you think that would influence Luthor."
Jason hesitated at that.
"Yeah. Not 100% sure, but sure enough. He does care about his kid. I mean, he did free Tim for him, right? And I saw the footages from Clark's flat…"
"You're not supposed to look at that."
"And you're not supposed to spy on him, either, but the cams are still there, aren't they?" Jason snorted. "I have learnt something from you, you know?"
Bruce was pleased. It was visible on how his eyes' corners softened, even though he couldn't say it out loud.
Whatever Babs had told him sure was working. Maybe Jason ought to ask her about it.
"Luthor might have been pretending", Bruce still said.
But he wasn't denying the possibility anymore. He was just pushing Jason to follow his reasoning to the end.
"He might, had he wanted to manipulate Kon into becoming his ally instead than Kal's. But it's unlikely for such a plot to succeed. Even if Clark was to fail him, Kon never showed any inclination toward crime. He is too protective to be influenced so much as to become a crime lord."
"He might have a long-term plan."
Jason raised his eyebrows.
"Are we still talking about Kon? Because even ten years from here, I really doubt very much that he'd become a criminal. I know, I know, I'm a bad bat-kid, I should doubt everyone. But still. Though it's not impossible, it's improbable. And don't start quoting Sherlock Holmes on this."
Bruce smiled, amused.
"I promise I won't. It was tempting, though."
Jason grinned back at him.
"However", Bruce continued, "I prefer to be careful, as you pointed out. Kon still might take Luthor's side."
"Yeah. But there is a much higher probability for the exact contrary to happen." Jason started walking around, suddenly feeling the need to move. "You're all afraid we might be influenced by Luthor. You forget we might influence him. Wouldn't that be for the best?"
After a few second, Jason stopped, hesitating, to look at Bruce. The man sat silent, starting at him.
"What?"
"I didn't think you could be that optimistic."
Jason pulled a face.
"Come on, don't call me that. It's bad for my reputation."
"And yet, here you are, standing in front of my while arguing you might convince a supervillain to change his mind about crime."
The worst being, Bruce wasn't entirely wrong. Jason took the time to think about it.
"I wouldn't say that about a psychopath", he said slowly. "And I don't think I, alone, can change anything about it. Hell, I'm not sure I will be of any help at all. I will merely be able to observe him and report. But… His kid?"
Jason shook his head.
"I think Luthor didn't expect to care. But he does, now. It's too late. He has to change."
"You presume he cares more about Kon than about his life's greater goal."
That comment meant to remind Jason about Luthor's way of sacrificing people to his cause – his cause being, getting more power. But it sounded correct nonetheless.
Alright, maybe he was biased. Jason laughed.
"Sounds crazy, right?"
"Maybe not that crazy."
Jason blinked. After all this arguing, Bruce was telling him he might be right?
"Now, did you get hurt on the head?" he joked.
Bruce sighed.
"I knew Lex, a long time ago. We were teenagers. He's started university and wanted to get some contacts in Gotham. He always has been… manipulative and ruthless."
"I hear a 'but', here."
Bruce smiled.
"But, indeed, he wasn't totally deprived of emotions. Still isn't. That actually is the most maddening about him: he chose to become a criminal. He has no excuse."
"Most people don't." Jason glared. "And don't look at me like that. When I was a kid, I chose to steal instead than going to the Gotham child protective services."
That was a never-ending argument between the two of them. Jason considered he had been capable to make his own decisions back then, even though he'd only been 14 when Bruce adopted him. Being young didn't mean being defenseless and, in Gotham's streets, one had to learn quickly to handle oneself in order to survive.
But of course, Bruce would keep blaming Gotham CPS for not being able to handle those situations, his parents for dying and himself for not being God.
Thankfully, he didn't press the point.
"You would accept the internship to keep an eye on Luthor and make sure he doesn't try to influence Kon?"
Jason blinked. He'd forgotten why they'd started this conversation to begin with.
"No", he answered truthfully. "I would take the opportunity to check on Kon, of course. The kid is too kind for his own good. But I'd accept because it's an interesting offer I doubt I'd get anywhere else."
Here, he'd said it out loud: he wanted to work with Luthor. The guy was intelligent, encouraging, and took the time to check on his investments. He also was demanding, but Jason was used to that.
And then of course, Lex acted like that because he wanted Jason on his side, and it was working. But hell, didn't he deserve some attention? And he didn't intend to betray Bruce's ideals. Not entirely, anyway.
Bruce sighed heavily.
"He is fascinating", he admitted. "Please understand my reluctance."
"I do", Jason answered.
"And yet you want to go."
"Yes."
Bruce nodded.
"You will have to check in every day. And come back home for week-ends."
Jason brightened out of surprise. Really? He was doing this?
Bruce trusted him enough to let him do this?
The man rose. He walked around his desk to put a hand on Jason's shoulder. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to; neither of them was good with words anyway. He just squeezed, then nod at Jason.
He did trust him enough.
sososo
Lex was smiling. He did so with satisfaction; he wouldn't lower himself to show any joy or another childish emotion. But satisfied, that he was, and could afford to show as much. After all, he'd just won a Robin over Batman.
"He should have been there five minutes ago", Mercy commented disapprovingly.
She wasn't happy about Jason coming back. Not that she would have done anything to stop his plan, but she would have appreciated to see it fail, this time.
"He is coming, don't worry", Lex answered pleasantly.
Then he saw something arriving in the sky from afar, and his smile disappeared. Lips pursed, he opened the window and stepped on the balcony despite winter's biting cold.
"You have quite a ride", he commented, his breath forming steam around his face in the winter's cold.
Jason smirked, his cheeks pink from the flight, and patted Superman on the chest.
"I do, don't I? There was a discount, so I thought…"
Ah, yes, so that's why he liked the boy. Superman looked positively pissed, which always made Lex's days.
"I don't know, didn't they have a less… colorful model?"
"Sometime, you need to be flashy."
"Now that you both made your point", Clark interrupted, "maybe we can continue inside?"
Lex smiled politely at him. Even old liquor didn't feel better than using an enemy's weapon against himself.
"I don't remember having invited you, contrarily to our young friend here."
"I need to…"
"You are unwelcome, Superman."
"Is this about the costume? I didn't know you could be petty, Lex."
Lex's eyes left Clark to settle on Jason. The young man was smirking, apparently as satisfied as himself by his presence here. All of a sudden, he really didn't want Clark around.
"Absolutely not. I merely wanted to enjoy this reunion. How are you doing, young man?"
Jason grinned, his eyes sparkling. He sure looked better than after a year of detention.
Lex felt possessive.
"Peachy, old one. What about you?"
"Much better now", Lex admitted.
Then he decided to humor himself. He walked to Jason, put an arm around his waist to pull him closer, and kissed him. The boy arched in it, pressing his lips against Lex's, biting him playfully.
He didn't have to prick up his ears to hear Clark's strangled gasp.
"Jason! Lex!"
Jason started laughing, not even breaking the kiss. Lex kept going for a few seconds, just to make a point, before finally releasing him.
"Reunion, like I said."
"That's absolutely not…!"
"Of your business, Kal", Jason interrupted, not even glancing at him. "Now, could you please leave us alone?"
Clark's glare was entirely lost on the teenager. Finally, he turned around, red cape flying fiercely.
"As you wish. Mercy is right at the window, though", he said.
Then, he disappeared.
Jason stopped smiling to glare at Lex.
"What the fuck!? He's going to report that to Bruce!"
"And?"
"It was hard enough to convince him to let me come here in the first place!"
Lex smirked. He didn't just feel possessive. He was hungry.
"Don't worry", he said. "I don't intend to let you go twice."
sososo
Clark felt awful. He'd left Jason there, with Lex Luthor of all people. Worse, some part of him kept whispering that they deserved each other – and it wasn't a positive thought.
And now, he had to tell Bruce that his adopted son was Luthor's lovers. The explanations were going to be complicated.
He landed in the Cave where, of course, his friend was browsing some case's files. Workaholic was too much of a euphemism to define him.
"How did it go?" Bruce asked without looking up.
"Not… precisely well?" Clark tried.
Bruce's fingers stopped typing on the keyboard.
"Last time my son was at LexCorp's tower, I was led to believe he was dead. Define 'not well'."
Ah, what would be Batman without his cold statements and sarcastic orders? Clark wondered. Well, perhaps a more loved superhero – or he was the one being petty now.
"They kissed", he said, point-blank. "Obviously not for the first time."
Slowly, Bruce's chair turned around. He raised his eyebrows.
"Is that all?"
That sure wasn't the reaction Clark had been expecting.
"Isn't that enough?" he exclaimed.
"Probably. But it can't be labeled as surprising."
Bruce's tone was dark enough for Clark not to protest at that. Instead, he paled. Surely, Bruce didn't mean Jason was known for seducing older men? Surely he wouldn't have tried that with his adoptive father?
"Stop looking so alarmed."
"You just said you were not surprised that your adoptive son has been kissing a supervillain", Clark pointed out, a bit out of breath.
Bruce looked at him, gloomy.
"Would you be surprised if I told you Jason likes danger?"
"Not… exactly?" Clark admitted.
"Or power?"
Clark pulled a face. Yes, certainly, but still…
"Or sex?"
"He's sixteen!"
"Seventeen, actually", Bruce corrected. "And he has been quite… precocious on the matter, I'm afraid."
That was more familiar ground. They didn't talk about Jason's past in the streets. Clark had no idea how Bruce managed the matter, though he knew it had been hard, especially at the beginning. But that had been years ago!
"He needs to show he isn't afraid", Bruce explained softly.
"That's no reason for…"
"No need to have this conversation again."
Clark gritted his teeth but nodded. They'd never agreed on how to handle Jason but, obviously, Bruce was better at it than him.
Once, he'd compared the teenager to Gotham. There was a way of doing things for them to be smooth. And even if you followed the steps, you might get punched in the groin for trying. But when you succeeded… Clark had to admit it felt warm all over to see the kid laugh and grin.
When it wasn't a mean one, that's to say.
"I still don't get why you didn't bring him yourself."
"And give Luthor an occasion to gloat?" Bruce gritted. "Moreover, I never killed any criminal. Yet."
Clark frowned. He knew his nemesis and was the first surprised on how well things went between them – with Kon in the middle – but it was only too easy to forget Lex Luthor was a criminal mastermind. Who had kidnapped Jason and Tim while making Bruce believe they were dead.
"I don't understand why you agreed to this", Clark admitted.
"Refusing would only have made things worse."
His tone was too definitive for Clark to push further. Once again, he was far from good at handling Jason. Which didn't mean he wasn't worried for the kid.
And Bruce probably was much more than him.
"For all it's worth", Clark said, "I'd never seen him enjoy having someone else around like this. He can pretend, but I hear the difference."
That wasn't bragging. Heartbeats changes and iris dilatation were hard to fake, even when one was used at having Superman around.
Bruce pursed his lips, but nodded.
He didn't thank him, mercifully. Clark felt bad enough for having left his adoptive son with one of the most dangerous men on Earth.
sososo
Jason lounged lazily, savoring the afterglow. The sex had been even better than he remembered, or it was because he wasn't here as a prisoner anymore. The king-size bed from Lex's apartment might be cliché as hell, but it was also very comfortable. He totally approved.
Luthor was lying next to him, asleep. Jason tried not to think it felt good to have him there.
He slipped out of the bed, naked, to walk to the large bay window. It opened on Metropolis, sparkling with Christmas lights in the night. It sure encouraged megalomaniac tendencies, Jason thought.
"Doesn't it feel like you own it?" Lex asked from the bed.
Not entirely asleep, then. His comment echoed Jason's thought too well for his peace of mind.
"I'm not a supervillain to think like that."
Lex laughed. He had a rich, deep laugh, which Jason was sure he had trained for. Now, it came naturally enough to make him shudder.
"As if Bruce didn't feel like he owned Gotham."
"He doesn't", Jason snorted.
"The Wayne sure left their print, you have to admit."
Lex had gotten up, wrapping himself in the sheet like if it was a toga. Jason smirked.
"Should I call you Caesar next time? Or would Alexander do?"
"Don't flatter yourself. You have nothing of a Hephaestion."
He put his arm around Jason's waist from behind, not really possessive or anything close to sugary, but present. Jason allowed himself to rest against his chest.
"I don't intend to be remembered as someone's lover", he pointed out. "You being an amazing one be damned."
Lex's lips pressed against his neck; Jason was positive he could feel a smile.
"Are you saying you think I will be remembered as yours?" Lex asked, amused.
Jason snorted, not afraid of being arrogant. Lex loved arrogant.
"That's exactly what I am saying", he confirmed.
A laugh rewarded him. Then kisses, along his neck, quickly followed by bites. He shuddered. He could see his reflection in the glass, Lex behind him like a dark Hades – though Jason sure didn't feel closer to Persephone than to Hephaestion.
He smirked. He saw their bodies, semi-transparent against the city landscape. Hah, like gods above their land, right? Those windows really gave people megalomaniac tendencies.
Lex bit him harder.
"Are you still looking outside?"
Jason smiled sensually.
"I can see you there."
Lex's eyes turned snaky. Then, very quickly, Jason stopped looking at anything – he was being kept too busy to care.
sososo
Being fucked by Bruce was an amazing experience. Not only because the sex was great – and oh God yeah it totally was – but because when they did, he gave Dick all of his attention. He looked at him with that intense stare, like nothing else existed in the world, like Dick was the most marvelous thing he had ever seen. Like, if he could, he'd stay there with him all the time, the Mission be damned.
That look made Dick feel all squishy and stupidly in love.
And, also, it made him forget everything else, and moan, and beg, and come hard. But that was just a detail.
Well. The first time, it had kind of shaken Bruce. Dick hadn't expected Bruce's intensity; Bruce hadn't expected his. Who did they try to fool? Between them, it had been fierce way before becoming romantic. He felt like he was Bruce's to the bone.
Actually, that sounded a bit creepy.
"What are you thinking about?"
Dick blinked. Bruce, engaging a conversation. He still had to get used to that.
"Nothing specific. Why?"
Bruce was trying to communicate more with him and God knew he was bad at it. Most of the times, it ended with the both of them kissing, trying to reassure themselves they were still good together, they were still close. But he tried.
Still, he wouldn't start chatting around, without a specific idea in mind.
Bruce rolled over him, his arm sliding around Dick.
"I thought we might go have lunch at Harold's tomorrow."
Dick blinked. Then he realized what Bruce was proposing and his heart started racing. Harold's was a public place. He considered, for a second, that Bruce might just want to have lunch, but dismissed it. The proposition sounded too serious to be anything but deliberate.
They would be seen. Together. Having a date.
"Bruce Wayne's reputation…" Dick started.
"Will have to accommodate this."
Be still my beating heart, Dick begged. Now wasn't the time to end up at the hospital for a cardiac arrest. Totally un-romantic.
"If you're sure about this…"
He managed not to make his voice shake. It wasn't that he didn't trust Bruce. Only that Bruce sometimes acted for his own reasons without caring to give anyone explanations. But he wouldn't leave him now. Would he?
Damn, Jason was right. He did sound like a drama queen.
Which made two of them.
"I am", Bruce said, then kissed him to press his point.
Dick shuddered. To go public. That was Bruce's way to reassure him, because Bruce sure didn't need any assurances. Dick probably wouldn't be able to leave him if he wanted to. Because he'd never want to, that was… inconceivable.
Aaand he was back to creepy.
At least he was aware of it?
"I won't leave you", Bruce said calmly, definitive.
Until next crisis, until next time Dick will be close to dying, or Bruce, or…
"And I will repeat it, and prove it, until you believe me."
Dick shuddered and curled closer to him, hoping there would be such a day when he would be able to, indeed, believe him.
sososo
Jason was so pissed. He had expected it, but still. He hated being put on a desk and ordered to study.
"Don't come back as long as you aren't done with those exercises" Lex had had the nerve to say. "Not even for… entertainment."
"I am supposed to be the kept boy in this relationship", Jason had shot back.
Then Lex had smirked and Jason had realized, too late, what he had just called this thing they had. Which wasn't a damn relationship. Shit.
He had cursed for the following ten minutes. Then had gotten to work.
That had been the first day.
The next ones followed in the same vein. Worse, Mercy had apparently been assigned his babysitter and kept sitting in the corner of the room he was studying in, either working at her own computer or fucking sharpening her blades. Freaking psychopath. Jason wished he could do the same; he missed the fights more than anything else.
Then weeks changed into weeks, then months, and if this kept going he was going to get crazy. He made sure Lex knew as much, too.
"I'm merely waiting for you to finish 12th grade program."
"Are you fucking me? No! No, don't answer that, even if you don't do that kind of humor. 12th grade!? How many years do you intend to keep me…"
"Actually, you reached it already. You're simply not done with it."
Jason blinked.
"I beg your pardon?"
He must have heard incorrectly. He had been one year late when Luthor had abducted him and back to it when he'd been back at Bruce's. He couldn't have caught up in a few months without noticing.
Lex smiled, amused.
"One catch up much quicker with a private tutor."
"I haven't had one! You just give me work to do and Mercy glares at me until I'm done!"
"Which is, also, very effective", Lex pointed out. "But did I not answered your question whenever you had some?"
Jason rolled his eyes.
"Yeah. So did the teachers."
"Do you usually spend your eight school hours concentrating on what you're doing?"
Jason shrugged. Alright, he wasn't very attentive in a classroom. Before, it had been because he didn't understand half of what the professor was explaining anyway and intended to work on the exercises at home. Then of course, at home, he'd rather train.
After he'd been back, he'd just been too bored to pay attention.
"You never lacked intelligence", Lex said. "Only motivation. Which is aggravating but, fortunately, not impossible to fix. Which isn't the case when it is the other way around."
Jason pulled a face. He might not have put all of himself into studies, but he'd always thought it wasn't worth it. Because of course he wasn't good at it. To hear he'd just been lazy all this time…
"Less moping, more working."
"Fuck yourself."
Lex put his hand on the small of Jason's back.
"I'd rather fuck you. If you're not done with those tonight, though, I think I will go to this gala on the Maier's boat, instead."
And fuck some airhead model greedy with money or power. Or both. Not that Jason minded Lex fucking other people: it was both pleasant and useful. But he'd still rather spent his evening in his bed than bored in his own room – especially after a whole day of work.
"You have strange motivation methods", he noted out loud.
"Do they work?"
Jason laughed.
"You know they do. 'Wouldn't use them, otherwise, would you?"
"I would not."
Lex kissed his neck. Damn him. Jason was starting to get hard. That wouldn't help him to concentrate, at all.
"You sure you don't want a break, right now?" he asked.
Of course, that only made Lex back off.
"Finish your exercises first."
And he left the room. In the corner, Mercy was smirking.
Damn. Him.
sososo
Clark couldn't decide if he was reassured or worried by Jason's presence. They'd reached the point where Kon would be spending his week-end at Lex's and that didn't feel comforting at all. Clark had been nervous the whole day, and also sad, because Kon was pissed he'd insisted to accompany him to LexCorp Tower.
It wasn't to treat him like a child. He just needed to see everything was alright. And maybe also take a look at Jason, check on him, if possible without getting his head bitten off. Somehow.
He left the Daily Planet early. That meant Kon would spend more time with Lex, but he needed to get it done. The teenager was waiting for him in the street so he wouldn't have to park his car.
"I don't get why we don't just fly there", Kon said while buckling up.
"Hello to you too, how was your day?" Clark answered cheerfully.
Kon glared for all answer. Ah, teenagers' temper.
"Mine was alright. Perry was a bit annoyed by the readers' reaction to Lois' last article, but she, of course, was glowing all day. She should stop being so controversial, he'll end up putting her on cat-and-dogs duty."
"I doubt that", Kon grumbled.
He was right, of course. Clark still kept blabbering about anything which came to his mind, just to fill the silence. He usually enjoyed it, but right now he felt way too nervous to sit there with Kon brooding.
They reached LexCorp Tower quickly enough. The staff had been warned; they let them in and took the keys from him to park his car.
He felt embarrassed to think of it next to Lex's flashy Mercedeses. Wait, no, it was a proper noun, it would be invariable… Mercedes, then.
"Do you have to come inside, too?" Kon muttered not-so-quietly.
Clark frowned at him.
"Of course I am."
The teenager brooded some more. Clark didn't care. They entered the private elevator together, to top floor.
The door opened to an icy Mercy Graves.
"Conner. Mr Kent."
Kon beamed at her. Beamed. At Mercy. Clark didn't know if he had to feel horrified or… no. Just horrified.
"Mercy! Is Lex waiting for us?"
"He is expecting you in the living room."
Clark didn't miss the slight emphasis on you, but still followed Kon inside.
"She likes it when I flirt", Kon whispered in his ear.
He was going to ignore that comment. Entirely. And noted his son didn't have any self-preservation instinct whatsoever.
They walked through the next room, then into a corridor. After two more corridors, Clark felt lost. How big could this place be? It was but one floor, wasn't it?
Thankfully, the next door was the right one. The living room was, of course, as big as Clark's flat, and he didn't want to know how much the furniture was worth. He probably couldn't afford him with a year of his wages.
Lex was reading a newspaper. Next to him, so was Jason – Le Monde. In French. The teenager was frowning doubtfully, but kept still going forward, sometimes circling a word with a pen.
Then Lex saw them and grinned.
"Conner! You're early."
Kon was blinking at Jason. He obviously hadn't expected to see him there.
He soon forgot his surprise as Lex got up to greet them. The businessman proposed his hands to Kon who ignored it to hug him. At Clark's surprise, Lex hugged back, though not very convincingly.
"You're going to crease my suit."
"You usually don't care", Jason commented, folding his own newspaper.
Lex tried to glare at him, but he couldn't help but to smile. Kon finally let him go after a few more seconds and shook Jason's hand.
"It's been a while!"
"I could still take you, kid."
Kon outraged face made both Clark and Lex laugh. Then exchanged a glance, then shook hands as well, not too reluctantly.
"How are you doing?" Lex asked.
"Fine, fine. Anything planned for the week-end?"
"Nothing special. I however have a new flat screen I thought Kon might enjoy…"
Kon brightened. Clark didn't have the heart to frown. He'd made sure he'd done all his homework before coming, just in case.
Turned out, he didn't have to.
"What, you're going to lose time lounging while watching television?" Jason mocked. "Aren't you supposed to be Superboy? I'm not sure Tim is quite in good hands if his teammates keeps having fun instead of training."
"Hey, we can't train all the time!"
"You sure can as long as a normal, non-meta human is able to kick your ass, newbie."
Clark didn't look at Lex. If he did, he'd start laughing and the opportunity would be loss. Instead, he took a step toward Kon, protective.
"Don't be like that. Kon is here to enjoy his week-end, there is no reason to train all the time…"
Kon raised his chin, outraged.
"If he can train all the time, so can I!"
Jason smirked. Clark kept not-looking at Lex, but he was sure he was smiling anyway. Then the young gothamite raised his eyebrows.
"Unfortunately, I won't be able to demonstrate, since I have work to finish."
"You may go", Lex corrected immediately.
Jason nodded, clearly satisfied. He shouldn't have shown it so blatantly, because Lex added immediately:
"After all, you may still work on your French later this evening."
The teenager rolled his eyes.
"What about, you come with us and read this damn paper out loud?"
"Exchanging reading against listening, boy?"
Jason glared.
"It's not like it is easier, is it?"
Lex smiled, snaky.
"Indeed."
Kon's glance kept going from one to the other. Clark couldn't blame him: he was doing exactly the same.
Lex and the kid got along. More than that, they had a dynamic which seemed to work. They manipulated each other, granted, but they didn't try to hide it. Did it count as abuse if one was willing?
Well, in Jason's case, yes, of course. He was only 17 after all. But Clark knew by practice that even at 14, there wasn't any way in hell to get Jason to do something he didn't want to. Even Bruce failed from time to time.
And Lex managed it like if it was easy.
That was scary.
"It sounds like a compromise", Lex settled. "Clark, are you leaving right away or would you like to stay in our company for a while?"
Jason pulled a face at that. Clark usually would have gone, because he didn't like to bother anyone, but he was really curious to see what would happen next.
"I do have some time", he said. "Not too long, though, I still have work to do this evening", he added, to reassure Kon.
He didn't want his son to think he was spying on him. But Kon didn't seem to mind: he had a belligerent look on his face and obviously wanted to prove the world in general and his fathers in particular that he was a better fighter than Jason Todd.
Clark couldn't help but to smile, remembering his own first training with Bruce. Silently, he wished Kon good luck.
sososo
Training with Kon was amusing. The kid had no discipline whatsoever and compensated with his super-strength and tactical telekinesis abilities. He still had a lot to learn, though, which was easy to prove. Jason didn't have to win their fights; he just had to throw a punch at him or make him loose his balance. If a normal teenager could do as much, a super-powered enemy would be able to do much worse.
Training with Mercy, however, was otherwise challenging.
"What are you waiting for to get out of there? Are you a coward?"
Jason didn't answer. Safely hidden in the false ceiling, he could see her through a vent. She was holding a gun. Usually, she only used tranqs, but one was never too careful.
"Come on, child. I'm not a very patient woman."
Jason smirk but didn't snort. She was no meta but she sure had good enough senses for him to wonder if Lex hadn't used his genius for robotics on her.
He had to wait for her to be far enough, so he could hit her from afar. No gun for him – he wasn't authorized to use one yet – but he hadn't come unarmed. Batarang had the advantage to be near soundless when launched correctly.
And, after all, he'd had the best mentor of them all.
She reached a set of tables – Lex believed in real-life training so they were doing this in unused offices – and started moving them around to check if he wasn't hidden under one. He waited, because she wasn't stupid: she knew that was a good opportunity and would be on her guard. Then waited some more, for her to think he didn't have a clear shot.
That's when the elastic he had previously stuck between two chair legs decided to snap. She turned around sharply – and he threw. The batarang flew to her head. It only hit its side because she was already starting to move away when it got there.
Jason smirked. She'd expected him to aim for the hand, because that's what Batman would have done.
He slid out of his hideout. At this point she knew where he was, anyway.
She was smiling. It was a terrifying sight.
"Here you are."
She fired – and it was a real gun. Jason rolled on the ground and threw his second batarang. Unfortunately, it was his last one. Those shits were hard enough to hide in one's pants without the damn utility belt. He ought to find himself throwing knives instead.
The blow to the head had disoriented her enough for her not to touch him, or she was missing on purpose. Making him any real damage would probably annoy Lex, which would stopped her. Or so he hoped.
He ran, bending, then used a table to jump higher. He landed next to a cupboard and pushed it with all the speed of his movement. She shrieked with rage, dodging it. But, unbalanced, she couldn't prevent him from grip her wrist to snatch her weapon from her.
Unfortunately for him, she had two hands.
"Game over, boy", she said, keeping the blade she'd gotten out of nowhere right under his throat. "And it's been more than seventy minutes, back to work."
"For fuck's sake", he swore, but he was grinning. "May I at least take a shower?"
She glared, conveying wordlessly a 'you may not, you have to'. He chuckled because he knew that would piss her off and hurried to the showers next door.
Using real bullets in an office. Bruce would be green. Then again, the place was entirely lead-lined, all with Lex being Clark's arch-nemesis, and she'd been using a small caliber.
Alright, Bruce would be green because she'd been firing on Jason, specifically. He didn't intend to tell him, though. Ever.
Twenty minutes later, he was back at his desk, opening LuthorERP. Because, of course, LexCorp would have its own Enterprise Resource Planning software. From what Jason had gathered, they'd even start putting it on the market to compete against WERP – no need to specify who developed that one.
"You're late", Lex commented disapprovingly.
"I totally had her", Jason answered.
He didn't push the matter though, starting to work instead. Since Lex had declared himself satisfied with what he called his basic education, he'd put him on accounting duty. Jason had protested loud enough for Lex to grant him an hour of training with Mercy every day.
Jason wasn't sure if it was a reward or a threat. He didn't care: it was fun, and provided some release.
Sex with Lex provided the rest of it.
Well. That, and driving Clark crazy whenever he was around.
"Are you done with the previsions for January?"
"I finished them yesterday. My total checked with your accounting."
Lex frowned.
"After I removed the so-called trust-fund you kept trying to use right under my nose", Jason added, not looking away from his screen.
"Not why you're paid for", Lex commented, his tone more amused than annoyed.
"I'm not paid, that's the point."
"Not why I train you for, then."
"If only I knew why, then. No. Don't tell me. Finally, I don't want to know."
Lex snorted. Jason called it a win, considering he'd probably ruined one of his less-legal projects by not granting it the money it needed. But then, Lex made him help with accounting. Jason might not be as bright as Tim, but he'd spent enough time around Babs to have learnt a few tricks.
And Lex let him. If he'd seriously tried to stop him, Jason wouldn't have been able to do anything. But, apparently, his behavior entertained him enough for him to let a teenager mess with his business.
Not that Jason could make him loose more money than Lex made, anyway.
"What did you intend to invest into this month, then?" the man asked.
"Maybe Belgian aviation. They've improved some of their stuff, it looks promising."
Jason glanced at him. Lex was looking approving.
"I don't get it", Jason said. "Why do you let an average guy like me play with your money."
"So you learn. And I am starting to be weary of telling you this, Jason. You are not average. You scored above it on all the tests I gave you."
Jason blushed. Damn. He hated blushing. But still, he kept being shocked at this.
"You're far from my own rate, of course", Lex commented. "Or even Bruce's. Now, less moping, more working. If you're good, maybe we could get some time in the lab later."
Jason rolled his eyes at this obvious attempt to manipulate him.
"Yes, sir!" he mocked.
But he still went back to his screen.
sososo
Tim was grinning. He couldn't help himself. He'd been checking on Jason's work for the last two hours and it was just incredible. Someone so refractory to any form of theoretical education whatsoever, doing accounting work several hours a day. Tim was impressed by how Lex was handling his.
Someone was behind his chair. Bruce had come near him noiselessly and had decided to let him know he was there, just by standing right behind him.
Tim was enough used to that not to jump anymore, but he didn't like not being able to feel him before he'd let him.
"So, how is he doing?"
"Fine, actually. He's handling accounting more than correctly and is starting on Spanish now."
The three previous months had been focused on French. Tim wondered when Lex would switch to more difficult languages.
"Perhaps this is good for him", Tim added, smiling.
"Lex fucks him."
Right. There was that.
"Well, it's Jason, I'm not that surprised…" Which wasn't an excuse, of course. "But he is learning. More quickly than he ever did."
"Lex is close to sociopathy."
Tim nodded.
"I monitor him. I couldn't find any murder he might be involved with in the last few months but then, he's very good at hiding."
"You agree with Barbara."
It wasn't a question. Tim winced. He didn't want to hurt Bruce by saying it out loud. And yet…
"I wish I didn't", he ended up saying. "I don't like Luthor anymore than you do. Well." He blushed. "I am quite fascinated by his genius, but I'm sure so were you at my age."
Bruce tensed with disapproval. Tim had to put a hand on his to make him relax a bit.
"I wouldn't let that bias my judgment."
"I know."
Tim sighed. The fact was still there: Lex knew how to push Jason to his best. And Tim wanted at least as much for the former Robin.
He'd always admired Jason and the way no one could stop him from doing what he felt right. But that same trait made him difficult to control. Even Bruce didn't always manage to convince him to follow his orders.
Maybe Lex's more… flexible ethics would suit him better. At the beginning. Tim didn't doubt for a second that Jason wouldn't become a criminal. He wanted to help people too much for that to be a possibility.
"Jason likes danger but he wouldn't let Luthor talk him into doing something amoral."
"It's still way too dangerous. Lex kills people who get in his way."
"Jason seems to amuse him too much for that."
Bruce shook his head, eyes dark with worry.
"He's going to hurt Jason. Jason needs to be loved. Lex is way too cold."
There wasn't much to answer to that. Tim closed his software and got on his feet to hug Bruce. He felt arms close around him and hugged more strongly, trying to convey warmth and reassurance to his father.
His father. It still felt weird to call him that. His biological one had died so recently… In normal circumstances, Tim wasn't sure he would have accepted Bruce's proposition to be adopted. But… After having been away for so long only to come back to such a mess… It had felt right.
The fact it made him officially Jason's brother was a welcomed bonus.
"He's going to be alright", Tim said quietly. "We all are."
Bruce didn't answer. Probably because no reassurance in the world would be enough for him to stop getting up thinking two of his Robins were dead – before remembering they weren't. And this situation was Luthor's fault.
It was going to stabilize, Tim hoped. A few weeks of quiet, and Bruce and he both would feel much better.
sososo
Jason felt actually happy at Lex's – especially when Lex was satisfied enough with his work to let him play with some robotic parts in the lab – but he was glad to go back to the manor once a week. Well. At the Cave, anyway. He still wasn't going out on the roofs but to see Tim being so enthusiastic about explaining what he had missed was a sight for sore eyes.
"And then, I hit her! In the face! She was so totally furious. I had to run quicker than ever to get away."
"You didn't possibly lost Catwoman on Gotham's roofs, duckling."
Tim blushed.
"No, but, you know. I managed to outrun her long enough for Bruce to catch up?"
Jason laughed. The kid was just adorable.
"Yeah, that's more like it. Did she start calling you a kitten yet?"
Tim blushed.
"So it isn't just me?"
"She only does that to kids she likes. I was sure she would, with you being all cute."
And now he was pouting. He tried not to, which made him even more endearing.
And yet, Jason knew from experience Tim was far from inefficient. In battle, he was as cold as Bruce and managed to have a clear view of all what was happening around him. He never forgot about the guy who tried to slip behind him.
Jason had heard how he let the Young Justice team, too. The kids were untrained, didn't have any discipline whatsoever, Kon included. But Tim managed to make them focus on the task at hand, enough so for them not having caused major trouble yet.
A little red dot suddenly appeared on the screen, behind Tim.
"Where is Bruce, by the way?" Jason asked.
"Some fundraisers exposition, I think."
"There's trouble. His suit sensors just caught some damage."
"What?"
In the blink of an eye, Tim was at the console, double-checking the data.
"He's still at the fundraising", he said. "He didn't activate the video feed, I'm blind!"
Jason snorted.
"Then what do you wait to join him?"
Tim nodded, jumping to his suit. He changed with the speed of habit. Jason felt a little pang, seeing him putting on the green-and-reds. Ah, damn. So maybe it would never go away.
He wanted to go along. He wanted to help.
Bruce was his Batman.
"I'll monitor from here", he said instead.
"Thank you!"
Tim was already running to the Redbird. In a minute, he was gone.
Jason sat at the console and checked Dick's position. Unfortunately, he was at Titans Tower, in New York. A bit too far for him to intervene. No need to worry him by contacting him over a punch, it might be nothing.
But he could still check on Babs.
"Hey, beautiful", he said in his most flirty tone. "Still swinging around?"
"Oh, hello Jay-bird! I didn't realize it already was the week-end. Monitor duty again, then?"
"No, just checking in. We've had an unexpected alert from Bruce and the duckling has gone all by himself. I know he's good, careful and everything, but…"
"I'm available", Babs said. "However…"
"Yeah, yeah. I won't dispatch you before Robin gives me a status. It was just to know if you would be there, in case it was bad."
"'course I am. Just call again if needed, alright?"
"Noted."
He smacked a kiss in front of the com' before cutting the link, making her laugh. At least, now, he'd be able to send her as backup quickly.
But, actually, maybe someone already knew what was happening. Jason dialed another number.
"Alfred?"
sososo
Tim heard the com-link activation. He was speeding on the highway, trying to get in town as fast as possible, but he still took the call. It might be Jason having news.
"Yes?"
"There are men-bats", said the previous Robin's voice in his ear. "Plural. And they've just kidnapped B."
Thankfully, he had been expecting a blow. But still.
"Batman has been kidnapped", he repeated.
Not exactly for asking. Just because… Well. Batman being kidnapped didn't happen often in a Robin's life. It was worth being said out loud.
"Yeah, I found it hilarious too. I have Batgirl on the line, where do you want her?"
"At the fundraising", Tim answered immediately. "She might find clues about who we are after. Send me the GPS coordinates of the batsuit, I'll try to find B."
"You're not doing this alone, kiddo", Jason said in a dangerous voice. "Someone organized enough to send men-bats on him, especially…"
"While he was there as Bruce Wayne, I know."
Either this was an abduction of opportunity or they were in deep shit, as Jason would put it. Very few people knew Batman's real identity. They had in common to be major bad news.
"Did you call Nightwing back?"
"He wouldn't be here in less than an hour, even if he uses the Titans' tech. That would be too late."
That left only one solution. Tim's heart was pounding with excitation though he was positive Bruce wouldn't like it.
"You're not trying to fit in your old suit, are you? It must have become a bit small."
"Don't be silly", Jason answered, his tone at its most sarcastic. "I'm stealing Bruce's stuff."
This time, Tim almost got out of the road.
"You what?"
Jason's laugh had become deeper in the last months. Tim tried to remember his weight but, no, even though he'd become taller there was no way he would fill the Batsuit.
"I meant his old stuff, you idiot. Plain black, no marks. He'd kill me if I get out wearing his colors without his approval." Then, after a reflexive pause, Jason added. "Well, he's going to kill me anyway, so I would go for it if it would fit."
"You're crazy!" Tim was thrilled.
"Hey, that's how I became Robin, didn't you know?"
"You stole Di… Robin's stuff?"
"I totally did. Now, get to the Museum, I'll be there in a minute. You can't go any further by yourself."
Even if he was right, that felt really patronizing. Tim had been able to manage on how own in the past! And back then, Batman hadn't been available to help: Bruce had had his back broken and the role had been filled by Jean-Paul Valley, who had spiraled out of control.
For more than a month, Tim had been working alone. That was proof enough that he could handle himself, wasn't it? Even if it was one of the major players this time, he could scout for information before Jason's arrival.
"Where does the signal put him, precisely?"
"I don't know."
Tim blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, we're going to swim, pretty boy. He's in the sewers."
sososo
Jason wanted to be excited about this, even though Bruce was in danger. He wanted to feel his heartbeat increase, adrenalin in his veins, laugh in his throat.
Why the fuck didn't he?
He was out for the first time in months – no, in years – and he was just feeling fucking worried. Something wasn't right. Something didn't fit. His instincts were screaming: bad news incoming!
Damn them, he should have the right to enjoy this.
He parked two streets from the museum. Tim – Robin – was waiting for him on the roof. Leaving the Cave, he had planned to startle him, just to see him jump, but he wasn't in the mood anymore. His instincts had better be damn right, or shut the hell up.
"He isn't far", he said as a greeting. "Did he have you memorize the tunnels?"
"Only the major ones", Tim answered.
Jason nodded. That would have to be enough. He knew the most used tunnels like most street rats, those where people usually didn't get killed by mobsters or by Killer Croc, but that was it, and the chances were Bruce wouldn't be in any of those.
"Let's go, then. From now on, we'll be mostly blind. The signal doesn't give a depth though I managed to get a distance out of it."
"Alright, err…"
Tim was hesitating on which name to use. Jason blinked. He didn't think of that.
But then, the answer was obvious, wasn't it?
"Just call me Jay. Now, move."
They slid down the building quietly. Jason could feel Tim grin even without looking at him.
That felt damn good.
Gotham's sewers were more dangerous than most but, except for that, they were exactly like any others: humid and stinking. It wasn't the first time Jason had had to go there for a case and he never looked forward to it.
"Over here", he said, trying not to breathe through is mouth.
They activated their lenses instead than using torches not to warn a potential sentinel. Tim surprised him with a jammer specifically created to make it harder for bats to see them.
"It's not like it's the first time we have to fight a man-bat", Tim pointed out.
That was their last comment for a while. They advanced slowly, searching through tunnels while trying not to make any noise.
When Jason felt a blade against his throat, he didn't think: the batarang left his hand while he rolled back, not caring about the stinking water.
"Shit!" he shouted, hoping to warn Robin without telling their enemies he was there.
Maybe they didn't know he wasn't alone. And maybe pigs could fly but, hey, that was Gotham after all, anything was possible.
They fought in the dark, the others apparently as undisturbed by it as them. Silently, too, which was less usual – and was the final confirmation of their enemy's name. As expected, it wasn't good news. But then, who else than the League of Shadow would have been able to abduct Batman in the first place?
Jason hoped as hell that Robin had managed to get away. Even he couldn't resist leaguers for long, not on their territory. But Tim? Tim wasn't much of a fighter, compared to the rest of the family. He was good alright, but good was far from enough against those little fucking shits.
"Get off me!" Robin gasped.
Fuck. So much for hoping.
"Stop moving right now, or we cut your friend's throat."
And for imagination.
"Who ever said he was my friend?" Jason asked, but he froze all the same.
They hadn't killed Tim yet, which meant they wanted them alive. That was good. That meant Batman was most probably alive as well. It was usual League crap. They were going to use them to force him to do something – or this had been organized by Talia, who would let them go when she would be finished with him.
Either way, better play along. Jason wasn't able to sneak on them anyway.
They tied their hands and put a blindfold on their eyes. Jason counted their steps but was soon lost; he was sure Tim was doing a better job though.
"Now, now. What do we have here?" a sensual feminine voice asked.
So it was Talia. Jason made her flirtier smile.
"Hello, beautiful. It's been a while."
"Jay", Bruce's voice said warningly.
"Aw, don't be like that, Batsie. I won't try to take her from you. I'm sure we can share."
Jason felt the air move and preventively dodged before giving a good knee kick, trying to get a gut. He hit a skull instead – a hard one.
"What is a kid doing here?" he asked, careful to listen for a new attack.
More air movement: someone had stopped it.
"I'm going to kill him!" A piercing voice shrieked. "He insulted you!"
"Calm down, brat-leaguer", Jason mocked. "Talia can defend her own honor. Which is why we respected her", he added with a slight bow toward the place where she was standing.
She was smiling, he knew. Bruce groaned, aggravated. That only made Jason's smirk wider.
At least, that kept the attention on him instead than on Robin. Making them talk also gave them some information to assess the situation. From the noises he could hear, there were a lot of men-bats, though, easily several dozen. They were all over the ceiling.
The kid's presence was an unknown quantity, though. Perhaps the reason why Talia brought Bruce here in the first place? But then, how where they linked?
Jason really didn't like the obvious answer to that question.
Well, only a way to be sure.
"So", he asked in Bruce's general direction. "Is the brat yours?"
Tim gasped behind him. Bruce didn't answer – which was all Jason needed. He snorted.
"Does that mean we're all going to die or that we're heading back to the Cave right now?"
"He deserves to die, mother", the kid was muttering to the not-so-head-of-the-league bitch.
Hey, she was strong and beautiful, that didn't make her any less crazy, okay? Jason had more than enough to handle with his own sociopath.
"Hush, Damian."
"But he does!"
Jason smirked again. Damian, huh? He kind of liked the brat. But Bruce was surely hoping this was all a big lie, though. Learning his own son had been raised by assassins… Yeah. Maybe Jason didn't like it so much either.
The good news being, from the kid's voice, he was still young. Bruce had managed to convince Jason to be a hero at 13, he sure could do the same with a 8-year-old something.
"I'm waiting, here", Jason insisted, just because he could.
"We're going", Bruce answered at last.
No codes, no nothing. He'd better give a full explanation when they would be back at the Cave.
Except he didn't have to, now, did he? Maybe he owed one to Tim, but Jason wasn't Robin anymore. Jason was out without authorization and had allowed leaguers to capture said Robin. Bruce didn't even need to tell him how bad he had played this time.
"I hope I will see you soon, beloved", Talia said to Bruce in her usual courtship way.
How didn't she get this wasn't going to work, ever? That was the definition of crazy, to keep going while expecting a different result, right? Though she did have Damian this time. A son of Bruce's blood. And he truly was his, if she intended to let them leave with him: she knew he would be tested as soon as they'd reach the Cave.
He didn't hear Bruce push her away, because the men-bats wings started flapping around. A lot of noise later, someone removed the blindfold from his eyes: they were alone in a big underground room.
And Batman was glaring at him.
sososo
Lex was annoyed. He didn't like to be annoyed.
"What do you mean, you need a few days off? I don't give my interns holidays and both of your parents are already dead."
Jason laughed at that, the little brat.
"Yeah, and my adoptive one is still alive and kickin', unfortunately for you. Come on. I'll work harder when I'm back. But we have a situation here, and I don't want Tim to handle it alone."
A minute of explanations later, Lex wasn't annoyed anymore. He was furious.
"You did what?"
"You actually sound surprised", Jason noted. "You're aware this was my life until a few months ago, aren't you?"
"I thought I had cured you of that", Lex said, more a stunned afterthought than an actual answer.
"Lex. You have me trained by Mercy."
Yes, and maybe that hadn't been such a good idea, in the end. Lex took a few seconds to calm down. He would have to think of an appropriate punishment for such a stupid behavior – and apply it. But later. When Jason would be back.
Maybe tying him up to his bed would do. For a few days. He would have to feed him himself, and… Mh. Later.
How had Mercy put it? Ah yes. He was indeed starting to be fond of Jason.
"I hoped it would prevent you from getting killed, not put you in more danger."
"Like I was ever going to be safe", Jason mocked. "I like danger, for one, as you're well aware of, oh my dear daily dose of adrenalin. And I wouldn't let baby-feather get hurt all by himself when daddy is in deep shit."
Lex was trying hard not to shout.
"Next time, call me instead of going."
There was a second of stunned silence.
"Do you realize", Jason said slowly, "how would Bruce react to that?"
"Then perhaps he'll think about it twice before getting his ass abducted next time."
Jason was smiling, Lex was sure of it.
"I like it when you stop talking fancy", the teenager said in his deepest voice.
It wasn't arousing. It wasn't even funny. But apparently, Lex's body wasn't aware of those facts and had decided it wanted to have Jason teleported next to him in the next few seconds.
"I'm not giving you any holiday", Lex heard himself answer. "But", he added before Jason could protest, "I might have some business ongoing in Gotham. I will arrive there this evening."
That should give Mercy enough time to reschedule his meetings.
"And of course, you will be in my office on Monday morning as usual. I'm sure being in the same city would allow you to make it to your brother quickly enough, should he need any help. Wouldn't it?"
Jason was slightly out of breath, Lex could hear. Which was a good start. He wouldn't be able to tie him to his bed as long as they would be in Gotham since the point was to give the teenager some room to be around his family.
Lex could be a patient man. They would have time for that once back in Metropolis.
"Deal", Jason finally answered.
"I'll send you the office's address as soon as I've bought one", Lex concluded.
Then he hung up the phone. He didn't intend to let his bird fly away, not for an emergency, not ever. And if Talia al Ghul did anything to hurt him… she would learn what happened to those who took something from Lex Luthor.
sososo
Now, this was all very interesting, but as I told you, this is MY tale. Not Jason's. Jason isn't the main course, merely, ah, the starter. He isn't the aperitif, though, no, that would be my birth – the first one. Like many people in Gotham city, I had two of those.
So, shall we go on?
sosososo
Author notes: this is the end of "To Steal a rose"... to be followed in part 2: "The Frog". First chapter already available! ;)