A/N - I read an article in the Spruce about bird mating dances and what goes into them, and got a bunch of ideas. Enjoy!
TW - Steph saves an omega from being raped in the first section of the story. The fight and attempted attack is described in some detail. If you want to skip that part, start reading at "A few moments later" marked in bold. Steph's aftermath of the battle is described, but nothing graphic related to the attack or incident.
Steph was not losing this fight, ok? She wasn't.
She socked the snarling Alpha in the jaw and whirled away from the second goon's kick that might've shattered her kneecap. Of course, her clever little dodge landed her right in front of goons three and four, with goons one and two closing in on her back and goons five, six, and seven moving in from both sides, but she'd be fine.
She would.
Oracle had sworn that help was on the way and Steph just had to hang on and - she flinched at the sharp crack of gunfire. Shit, she hadn't seen a gun. Not only were these particular Alphas bruisers by nature, but they'd seemed eager to tear Batgirl apart with their bare hands vs using weapons. Had one finally pulled a gun? But why, when they had her pinned?
Steph debated whipping her head around to try to clock the gun, but then another shot rang out, and fuck it. She dove to the side, tucking into a somersault and scrambling to hide behind a parked car. Five more shots rang out in rapid sequence, too fast and precise for goonfire. Steph's hands suddenly went clammy and cold.
He dropped down from the sky, landing lighter on his feet than his bulk would suggest was possible, scruffy black cargo pants hanging loosely over thick thighs and a simple black Kevlar top doing nothing to hide his absolutely jacked arms and chest. Steph's hands were shaking by the time that Red Hood stalked over to her paltry hiding spot.
"You all right?" his mechanized voice scratched out. Um, yeah. Steph was alone with the deadliest killer in Gotham who even B hadn't been able to stop yet. She was totally fine. Sure. Yep. Uh huh. So maybe he could just move along, and - oh fuck. He was crouching down beside her. "Blondie?" his robot voice asked her.
Steph's tongue wouldn't move. Somebody clearly didn't wear scentblockers, and why would he? When that luscious, dangerous, simmering scent of gunmetal and blood and smoke could flood the air and choke his enemies and overwhelm terrified little omegas with fear and longing and need and -
"Hang on," the voice grated. Steph jerked back in alarm as gloved hands snuck under her arms, but she was immediately met with a soothing, low rumble of Alpha reassurance. The hands tugged her suddenly pliable body against a warm Alpha chest and then a strong arm was squeezing her waist tight. Steph gasped as the grapple fired and they shot up into the night sky, her arms automatically gripping Red Hood.
He let her go when they landed on the roof, but only after making sure she was steady on her feet. How was she supposed to feel again? Terrified? Protected? Turned on? Steph might have been standing, but she wasn't quite sure she was on solid ground. Her eyes went to the hiss of air and click of gears as Red Hood lifted his helmet off, revealing a red domino underneath. Not to mention a smoking hot jawline and sexy streak of white hair in the middle of a dark mop, and -
"What?" Steph asked blearily. He'd said something - at least, he'd made noise - but she wasn't up to translating normal speech at the moment, because his scent was even stronger without the helmet. She automatically stepped closer into the Alpha's space, suddenly meeting gloved hands that gently cradled her face and tilted it from side to side. "Ouch!" she snapped a second later, when a bright white light shone in her eyes.
"You don't look concussed," Red Hood said in a low-pitched Alpha rumble. "Did you get hit in your head? Does something hurt?" Steph started to shake her head no, but one of his hands was still holding her face, so she kind of forgot to finish shaking the other way and ended up accidentally nuzzling him instead. "Easy, omega," the Alpha soothed as he emitted a burst of comforting pheromones while stroking her face with his fingers. "You're safe now."
Was she? Safe? With him? She wanted to be. A little omega purr slipped out in her confusion, startling a chuff out of her Alpha - the Alpha - Red Hood - oh, shit. Um. Blushing furiously, Steph quickly stepped backwards and wrapped her arms over her stomach.
"You ok?" Red Hood asked her gently, letting her define the space between them. "You seemed kinda shaken up there for a minute, omega."
"I'm ok," she said quietly. "Did my scentblockers come off?" she suddenly asked him in a panic, slapping a hand up to her neck, only to sigh in relief when her fingers found the edge of the patch tucked under the edge of her uniform collar. "Please don't call me omega," she added shortly. "It's not safe for me."
What was more unsafe was her acting like a total omega, practically drunk off the pheromones of the Alpha who'd rescued her and apparently wasn't going to kill her, but, well. Nothing she could do about that now.
"Sorry," Red Hood said, actually sounding like he meant it. He frowned, though. "Where's your backup? You shouldn't be fighting against so many goons on your own."
"They're on their way," she mumbled. "I couldn't just let those Alphas hurt the other omega," she tried to explain, feeling horrified when a lump began to clog her throat.
Yeah, she had been scared - terrified, in fact. But she was Batgirl, dammit, and outmatched or not, she wasn't gonna let an omega get raped. She barely noticed the rumbling Alpha purrs until he was right up in her space and tugging her into a hug. A hug that she melted into, starting to shake as the post-fight adrenaline and fear turned into sobs.
He couldn't exactly scent her with her cowl on, but that didn't stop his soothing scent from flooding her senses and making her want to crawl into his pores and bond with his cells until she was completely hidden, tucked away and safe inside her Alpha's lethal presence.
A few moments later, a ferocious Alpha growl jerked her out of her moment's peace.
"Calm down, asshole!" Red Hood snarked, not sounding overly alarmed at the growling Bat stalking towards them. He didn't even drop his arms from around her to get ready to fight, although he was holding them loose enough that Steph could step away, if she wanted. Which she didn't want, because as stupid as it was, an angry Alpha Bat stomping towards her was making her feel even shakier, even though his anger was worry and fear and protectiveness on her behalf.
"You're scaring her," Red Hood lectured Batman, still sounding not one mite afraid, which, huh. That was weird. Criminals didn't typically lecture Batman. Or not piss their pants around him, for that matter. "You should've been here sooner," Red Hood went on. "How many Robins do you plan on losing in this lifetime?" Steph's head snapped up off his chest and she stared at him in horror.
To her surprise, B didn't immediately punch Red Hood's face off for referencing his dead Robin. What the hell? He was growling low in his throat, though.
"It's not B's fault," she protested. "I knew I was jumping in over my head. I called for backup but I didn't have time to wait. They would've -" she couldn't finish. Red Hood sighed, looking down at her.
"This is where a gun would come in handy," he pointed out. "You could shoot from a distance."
"We don't use guns," B snarled.
"I used batarangs on a few of them," Steph added. "But there were too many. I had to distract them by letting them fight me so she could get away."
"Are you all right?" B asked her gruffly.
"Her pupils don't indicate a concussion and she says she didn't get hit on her head, but she was disoriented for several minutes. You should take her back to the BatCave and get her thoroughly checked out," Red Hood startled Steph by answering for her, almost automatically, it seemed, like he was used to giving reports. "She needs to bond with her pack tonight, if nothing else," he added authoritatively. To her utter astonishment, B simply nodded.
"Thank you," he muttered as he reached his hand out for her. She looked from B to Red Hood and back again.
"Who are you?" she gaped. His jaw dropped.
"He didn't tell you?" he asked her. She shook her head and he clucked his tongue in disapproval. "B, B, B," he chastised. Batman ground his jaw, but remained silent.
"You tell me," Steph pleaded with Red Hood.
"I'm the skeleton in the family closet," he winked. "Ask O if B won't Alpha up and tell," he added with a grin as he started to walk to the roof's edge, bending to pick up his helmet as he went. "She knows."
He knew Oracle? What the freakin' hell?
"Thank you for saving me, Red Hood!" Steph quickly called after him before he disappeared.
"Anytime, Blondie," he smiled back at her over his shoulder before dropping out of sight. Beside her, Batman sighed, but it sounded more like a groan.
"B?" she demanded.
"At home," he grunted.
Well. At least she'd get answers.
So. Steph had been rescued by a no-longer-dead Robin who she now totally suspected was not quite the Batmenacing threat that B had initially made him out to be. So she kind of also maybe sort of had a crush on said undead Robin. So what.
It was surely just her omega instincts flaring up at being saved by such a strong, capable, protective, drool-worthy Alpha.
Unfortunately, it wasn't like she'd ever see Red Hood again, because they hadn't crossed each other's paths once prior to last night in the months and months that he'd been in Gotham; and just because he and B had managed to have a halfway civil conversation about how injured she was or wasn't didn't mean that Jason Todd was suddenly gonna make nice with Bruce and the Batfamily and start nesting with them.
Unfortunately.
Ugh.
Batgirl ran across the rooftops towards the sound of gunshots later that week, prepared to call for backup if needed, but hoping she could neutralize the threat herself with a batarang. She flung herself down into a crouch against the roof's low walled edge seconds later and peered over to assess the situation.
To her surprise, Red Hood was taking cover behind a dumpster in the alley in between trading shots with a pack of Two-Face's men, all armed with Tommy guns. Well, Steph wasn't going to get in the middle of that fight. She lingered, though, in case Red Hood got hit and needed backup from Batman. He'd saved her, after all; the least she could do is return the favor.
Although, Steph had to admit, her eyes would've lingered without the cooperation from her sense of obligation and gratitude, because Red Hood had spiffed himself up. Gone were the ratty cargo pants, replaced by a pair of new, clean, much more form fitting ones, covered in tactical straps and holstered guns. He'd done away with the red helmet in favor of just his domino, and over his Kevlar top, he'd added a red hooded vest and red gloved arm guards. A pair of swords crossed over his back, too, which he definitely hadn't been sporting a few nights ago.
Oh my, Steph thought dreamily, leaning a little farther out over the ledge to get a better look. He'd been hot before, but post glow-up? Hot damn. As she shifted position, Red Hood's head tilted up towards her roof. She wished she could swear to seeing the slow smile that she was surely just imagining, creeping onto his face, but she definitely saw him holster his gun. What the hell?
Still behind the dumpster, Hood backed up to the end of the alley. He crouched and paused for the briefest of seconds before taking off in a sprint - right towards the dumpster. Steph's breath caught in her throat as he launched himself at it like an oversized pummel horse. Gloved hands gripped the edge and suddenly Hood was flipping and twisting through the air, pulling guns with both hands as he somersaulted into his descent, taking out two of the henchmen before he even landed.
Guns slammed back into holsters in sync with his feet hitting the ground, and then his swords were in his hands in one fluid movement. Blades clanked against guns as Hood spun and spiraled around the cluster of remaining goons, disarming every one without even coming close to getting hit. Steph didn't know what she expected next, but it certainly wasn't for him to sheath his swords and begin to fight the swarm of angry Alphas hand to hand.
Fuck, he could fight, Steph thought to herself in awe, feeling her mouth fall open as she watched Hood's viciously graceful attacks. B was a brutally efficient fighter, but somewhat heavy on his feet as he favored a weighted cape and a closer, more powerhouse style of fighting.
Red Hood was certainly a powerhouse - the man was built like a tank, after all - but good God, he was elegant. Beautiful. Refined. He made fighting look like pure artistry, like every move was a brilliant, lethal dance, floating in a silky ribbon across the rancid alley.
She'd almost forgotten that he maybe knew she was watching by the time he finished knocking everyone out (and far sooner than she would've liked, truth be told.) But as soon as the last crook was down, his eyes snapped straight up to hers. Butterflies danced in her stomach. A second later, his grappling hook caught on the ledge.
"Blondie," Red Hood smiled at her when he landed, seeming not the slightest bit winded from his impressive display. "Good to see you again."
"You changed your outfit," Steph answered somewhat stupidly. So sue her, his makeover looked even better close up, ok? But Red Hood's already warm smile lit up even brighter.
"Yeah, I figured I could use an upgrade," he said, holding his arms out and turning slightly to each side so she could take it all in. God, she needed popcorn. "You like it?"
"Totally," she hummed, practically drooling over the pleased-proud-exuberant sugary dark chocolate goodness wafting off of him. If she thought he'd smelled good the other night, he could positively market his own Yankee Candle scent right now.
"How are you feeling?" he asked her, carefully moving in a little closer.
"Great!" omega brain answered way, way too honestly.
"Yeah?" he double-checked, seeming relieved. "I was worried about you the other night," he said, reaching gloved fingers out to gently trace along her wrist, right where her scent glands would be, except for the fact of being hidden underneath her gloves. Steph shivered anyway.
"Oh," she stammered as her brain snapped back into gear. "Yeah, I was kind of rattled," she admitted. "But you were right, nesting with the Pack helped a lot," she said. Did the Alpha's chest puff up a little, or was that her imagination? "Thank you again, so much, for saving me," she added. "B felt awful he was so far out."
"Yeah, I bet he did," Hood muttered a little bitterly. He glanced back up at her after a second, though. "He told you about me? Or O did?"
"He did," she confirmed. "I'm kinda pissed he didn't tell me sooner," she added with a little bitterness of her own.
"Well, that's B," Jason said cynically. "His secrets have secrets."
"Tell me about it," Steph sighed.
"I'm glad we finally met," he surprised her by saying. "You're a lot cooler than the other Bats."
"Oh," she breathed out, surprised and pleased. "Thanks," she smiled as she blushed the tiniest bit.
"Hey, if you ever get in trouble again, you can call me, ok?" he offered. "If you need to. My frequency is 816."
"Thank you," Steph answered with wide eyes as a rush of cared-for-protected-safe-with-Alpha pheromones suddenly flooded her system. Maybe Jason smelled it despite her scentblockers, because the corners of his eyes crinkled and his scent got a little spicier.
Or maybe that was just her imagination.
For someone who'd never met Red Hood before last week, Steph couldn't believe how often she was running into him now. She'd been patrolling tonight like normal, on her way through the Bowery, when there he was, suddenly swinging down next to her.
"Hey, Blondie," he grinned at her.
"Hi, Alpha," she slipped up and said. Look, was it her fault that he was activating all of her omega instincts with his big, bad, hot, kind, protective self? No, she didn't think it was. Anyway, Jason didn't smirk at her for it. In fact, he looked downright flattered. So there. Not a slip up after all.
Maybe.
"You hungry?" he asked her, holding out a paper bag. "I got muffins."
"I could eat a muffin," she smiled up at him in wonder. Could she ever! Patrol always burned up her blood sugar. She kept protein bars in her BatBelt, but a dry, yucky protein bar did not compare to what was apparently a fluffy, delicious, moist yet crumbly orange cranberry cream cheese muffin. "Oh, my God. This is amazing," she mumbled with her mouth full. "What bakery did you get this from?"
"I made it," Jason said as his eyes lit up from where he was now sitting on the roof beside her while she blissed out on his own freaking baking? "It's good, for real?"
"So good," she swore as she took another huge bite. "I can't believe you made this yourself. It's straight up gourmet." She couldn't tell anymore if it was the muffin that smelled so good or Jason, because he was practically glowing now and emitting some lovely marshmallow scented pride-in-self-success and pinewood satisfaction and was that a hint of caramel longing? Huh.
"I'm glad you like it, omega," He blushed. Blushed? And he called her - "I'm sorry," he said quickly, realizing his mistake just as the warmth from it was hitting her chest and making her want to purr. "It slipped out. I'll be more careful." He should be more careful, but -
"Nobody's up here but us, Alpha," she murmured. The fireworks in his eyes almost blinded her as a low Alpha purr rumbled out of his chest. Steph flushed and dipped her head down as her own softer purr answered him. Crisp minty elation wafted off of Jason as he not quite casually stretched out his previously bent leg until his thigh was brushing up against hers. Steph dipped her head into her shoulder as she took another bite of muffin - but she pressed into his leg right back.
When she woke up the next morning and glanced out the window, she saw a red silk courtship scarf knotted over the fire escape railing. Steph was relieved that no one was there to hear her happy omegan whine of excitement, or to see how quickly she scampered outside in her bare feet and pajamas to get it. She didn't even wait to make it back inside her apartment before she was burying her nose in the soft folds and inhaling deeply. Every fiber smelled of Alpha.
She practically skipped down to the corner coffeeshop later that day, wearing her beautiful, heavenly scarf looped around her neck so she could bask in Alpha's scent, but she ground to a halt right outside the front window. A familiar Alpha with a certain white forelock was reading alone at a table for two.
Purple lavender buzzed with bees in her soul as she pushed open the door, not even trying to fight her smile as she glanced his way. Maybe he'd seen her coming, because his eyes were already grazing warmly over her, lingering on the scarf as a swell of ecstatic-awed-longing flowed out of him.
"Omega," he rumbled softly as he stood up and came to - oh! - scent her, nuzzling his forehead gently into her scarf as he finished. A tiny encouraging whine slipped out of her throat. His answering low chuff of pleasure splashed giddy ripples of glee through her belly.
"What can I get you?" he asked her as he laid his hand across her low back to lead her to the counter.
One Alpha, please, wrapped up to go. "I'd love a coffee and a breakfast wrap," Steph said instead. "I haven't eaten yet today."
"Mega," Jason scolded. "You need more than that. Get a fruit cup, too. And maybe an oatmeal."
"Ok," she smiled. "Thank you, Alpha," she demurely hummed.
"It's my honor, omega," he sweetly replied. She gave a gentle purr of acknowledgment in response, a purr that made his fingers dance the slightest bit over her back. She tucked her head into her Alpha's shoulder as he ordered and paid for her meal but yeah, she still totally caught the starry-eyed, dreamy longing on the teenaged cashier's face.
"Run along and prep the food," the older barista nudged. The not-quite-a-pup flushed and bit their lip as they reluctantly moved off. Steph remembered how in awe she used to be of courting couples, too, at that age - freshly an omega and full of hopes and fantasies about her one-day Alpha mate.
Standing here with her formally acknowledged courtship partner at her side for the first time totally made her want to rush back to her nest to kick her legs on her covers and squee in her pillows like a teenaged omega herself! She restrained herself, though, as Jason carefully shuttled her over to his table and fussed over getting her seated before going back to get her coffee and food.
"Enjoy, omega," he smiled as he served her.
"Thank you, Alpha," she politely smiled back, but she swung her feet underneath the table. Kickies! Squeees! "What are you reading?" she asked as Jason seated himself across from her at the tiny round table, definitely not-accidentally brushing his feet against hers as he did.
Omega let her feet tangle against Alpha's to show that she didn't mind the contact, that his touch was welcome, and that he was doing well on their first courtship date. Also, ya know, because playing footsie with Jason was really, really fun.
"Oh!" he said, perking up and straightening in his chair. "I'm rereading The Omega's Tale. Have you read it?" When she nodded, his eyes lit up. "I know it's a fictional dystopian society, but the reality of what omega laws used to be like in our country even a hundred years ago -" he shuddered. Steph hummed in agreement as she sipped her cup of coffee.
"It's horrifying to think that we were property," she said bitterly as her mouth twisted up. "Always at the mercy of an Alpha, whether it was our Pack Alpha or our mate."
"And not even allowed birth control," Jason added with sad eyes. "I would never breed my omega without her permission," he swore passionately, as if the very idea was filth in his mouth. That didn't stop Steph from having to press her legs together at the mention of Jason breeding his omega. She didn't want pups for a long time, but her omega drive couldn't help flaring with excitement at the idea. Especially when she thought of her pups being sired by the respectful, capable, protective Alpha in front of her.
"You're a good Alpha," Steph acknowledged. Crisp, fiery, hopeful delight seared Jason's scent before being muted by damp, sour concern.
"B wouldn't say so," he said slowly.
"B may be my Pack Alpha," Steph replied, "but he doesn't get to run my life. I won't let him," she boldly declared with a sassy smirk.
"So if your Pack Alpha disapproved of your choice of mate…?" Jason hesitantly asked. Steph tipped her head to the side, considering. Yes, purposefully delaying a bit to make him sweat a little. It wouldn't do to let her Alpha get too comfortable this early in their courtship.
"I would encourage my potential mate to find ways to earn my Pack Alpha's approval, while still remaining true to himself," she announced.
"Oh," Jason said, his eyes going wide. He clearly hadn't expected that and now looked slightly nervous and wary.
"I would also encourage my Pack Alpha to extend an olive branch and be appreciative of my desired Alpha's genuine efforts," she added more gently. "And in the case of B, when I say encourage, I mean relentlessly harass," she grinned. She smelled Jason's relief even as she saw his shoulders relax a fraction of an inch. He still fidgeted in his seat, though.
"I'd have to make a lot of changes in my operations to even have a chance of B tolerating me," he said roughly, scrubbing his hand over his jaw. Steph's glow dimmed as fast as Harley's hyenas.
"Aw, honey, no," Jason immediately exclaimed. "I'm not saying I won't," he quickly reassured her, reaching out and squeezing her hand in both of his. "I will," he promised as he massaged her palm with his thumb. "It's just gonna be a little complicated, and I don't know if anything I do will ever be good enough for him anyway."
"You're his son," Steph soothed. "He wants you back in his life. You only have to meet him halfway. Besides," she added when Jason looked less than convinced, "I happen to have a lot of faith in you and your abilities to impress," she flirted.
"Oh, you do, huh?" he smirked, perking up and adopting a little more swagger.
"You sure impressed me all right," she grinned. "Do you really expect me to believe that you aren't a match for B?" she teased before taking a bite of her breakfast wrap.
"Well… when you put it like that …" Jason drawled as he sat up a little straighter.
They'd spent the rest of their date talking more about The Omega's Tale, and then drifting into lighter topics like other favorite books and hobbies, and Jason even walked her back to her apartment hand in hand. She purred when he scented her at her door, and he answered her in a low, pleased. Alpha rumble.
Jason had a pretty big smile on his face as he headed for home, before feeling a flood of dread, grief, and fear wash over him.
He was really into Steph, ok? Like, a lot. An omega who was a mask and loved Gotham as much as he did? And who was into not only him, but classic literature? He couldn't belive his luck. But he hadn't expected Steph to ask him to reconcile with B. Yeah, maybe he should have, but he'd been greedy, hoping that she could forget the B problem as easily as he wanted to.
Yes, it proved what a high quality omega she was, that she had expectations and demands - and Jason could even begrudgingly admit that they were reasonable ones. He couldn't really ask his omega to accept estrangement and strife between her Pack and her mate - especially if they had pups one day, which he dearly hoped they would.
He knew it was fair for her to ask him to make peace. But, oh holy hell, he did not want to. Not at all. His hurt and abandonment and pain had mixed with Talia's training and the Pit rage into a wounded concoction of bitterness, resentment, and anger.
But … when he bent down and sniffed the lingering hints of Steph's scent on his jacket lapels from when she'd hugged him goodbye … well ….
For his omega, he could make peace.
And only for her.
He'd make damn sure B knew it.
Batman raised his eyes in muted surprise when the loud sounds of a motorcycle suddenly came roaring down the BatCave entrance corridor.
"Richard did not inform me that he was coming to Gotham today," Damian pouted. Batman frowned and was just getting to his feet when Red Hood's bike streaked into the main Cave and tore to a stop.
"Here!" Jason announced with a put-upon snarl, glaring at Batman as he stalked over from his bike to the BatComputer. He slapped a batarang-shaped flash drive down. "You have forty-eight hours and then I'm killing them. You want it done your way, then do it." The scent of Alpha challenge was thick in the air, but Batman only tipped his head to the side and looked curiously at his son.
"Who is it, akhi?" Damian wanted to know.
"People who'd be better off dead," Jason grumbled. "But go on, B. Prove me wrong," he dared. "Show me the system works," he snorted.
"The system often doesn't work," his father said evenly. "But everyone deserves the chance to reform. Death steals that opportunity from them."
"And what do they steal from their victims, huh?" Jason demanded.
"Why are you here, Jason?" Bruce asked with weary suspicion.
"To give you the chance to save some of these worthless lives you care so much about," he snarked back. "Lives that are doing too much damage on the street to leave unchecked. So either you deal with them, or I will."
"We have other cases -"
"Another point in favor of permanent justice -"
"You can't storm in here expecting us to drop everything -"
"You can't expect me not to kill them if you won't so much as bring them in -"
"I don't expect anything of you -"
"I know!" A heavy, wounded silence filled the air.
"Father, these are addresses and photos of the gun runners we have been after," Damian obliviously announced from the BatComputer, where he'd plugged in the drive and begun quietly perusing its contents. "Warehouse numbers, shipment arrival dates - oh the next is tomorrow night - we should plan a raid -"
"A raid on who?" Steph asked cheerfully as she came out of the locker room.
"Red Hood has brought us some intel on the gun running operation we've been looking into," Batman said tightly. Steph's eyes darted behind him, just then noticing the extra vigilante in the cave.
"Oh! Alph - Jason," she quickly corrected as Batman's eyes immediately swiveled to her and narrowed shrewdly. She cleared her throat. B slowly turned back around and gave Jason a hard look.
"Hi, Steph," Jason smiled sweetly, his antagonistic demeanor instantly melting away as he walked over to her. "Can I scent you?" he asked in a low voice. She blushed but she nodded, dipping her eyes to the floor, away from Batman's suddenly knowledgeable and surely judgmental glare. "You still wearing my scarf?" Jason breathed in her ear on the faintest whisper as he leaned in to scent her forehead.
"Under my uniform," she murmured back, turning even pinker, but with pleasure as he rumbled in approval. She was absolutely one hundred percent never making eye contact with B again, but that was fine. Everything was fine. Her Alpha had come over and brought helpful intel! He was making an effort! He was -
" - going to kill them all if we don't get them first," B growled, low and angry.
"Wha -"
"Todd gave us 48 hours to apprehend the villains before he executes them," Damian brightly repeated for Steph's benefit. "But as the gun shipment is coming in tomorrow night, there is no cause for alarm, Father. We shall have wrapped the case up well before the deadline."
"Well," Steph said briskly. "Damian says there's no cause for alarm, B. So we should thank Jason for bringing us such valuable intel, shouldn't we?" she said firmly, with a hint of menace behind it. Batman groaned, deep in his soul.
"I'm too old for this."
"Nonsense, Father. You are still an Alpha in his prime," Damian encouraged.
"Thank your son, B," Steph said with a smile on her face and razors in her voice. He gave her a baleful glance before heaving out a great sigh.
"Thank you for the intel, son," he muttered. Jason slid sly, impressed eyes over to Steph, who smirked back at him.
"Thank your Pack omega," he said to Batman, giving Steph a wink before slinging his leg over his bike and zooming off.
"Stephanie, please tell me that you didn't accept a courtship scarf from a murdering crimelord," B said hopelessly.
"I accepted a courtship scarf from your son, B," she said tartly. "You should be pleased. And he's trying to reconcile," she added more gently. "He promised he would and he already is. Ok? Don't make it harder for him."
"He threatened to kill them all!" B exploded in frustration.
"Yet apparently set up the intel so he wouldn't need to," Steph countered. "He's an Alpha, too, B. He's not gonna go all submissive on you."
"Is he going to stop killing?" B demanded.
"I mean, he brought you the intel…" she pointed out. "And he told me he was going to make changes to his operations."
"We'll see," B muttered.
"You will see," Steph promised him. She had faith in her Alpha.
The End
A/N - Thanks for reading! You can follow me on Tumblr as River9Noble. Come say hi!