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It was almost three hours later, Jason finally got a text, sat in his safehouse, feet up on the coffee table with a big mug of hot chocolate, watching crappy reality tv.
The text itself was a singular photo image that Jason eagerly downloaded and proceeded to choke on his drink once he had.
There, looking severely pissed off, in tiny booty shorts and a sleeveless shirt was Bruce, arms crossed and face creased into a frown as Dick, off to the side of the photo, was mid-laugh, eyes bright and mouth open, the photo captivating so much emotion. Tim was a really good photographer, Jason decided, once the tears of laughter had stopped streaming down his cheeks and he felt he could breathe again.
‘I think I died. Again.’ Jason quickly texted back.
‘Asfdghjglkf;l nO-’ was Tim’s instant reply.
‘Please tell me he’s going to have to wear those out.’ Jason responded.
‘Yeah, me and Dick refused to go out and buy him anything else and I might have maybe gotten Barbara to make sure anything he tried to order online would get cancelled or delivered to the wrong place.’
‘Oh you are evil Timmy,’
‘I blame you :3’
‘I require picture updates on this. What did you say to Dick and Babs?’
‘Dick thought it was hilarious but he refuses to believe I helped ;-;’
‘Pfttt. And Babs?’
‘She checked the Camera feeds ofc. B hasn’t even thought to look at those yet tho, he’s too busy being angry and humiliated hehe.’
‘God I am so jealous you get to see that in person. I would just be GONE every time I looked up.’
‘I’m struggling to keep it together’
‘I bet! Anyway I gtg Timbo, keep me posted and stay safe! :)’
‘Thank you, I will, you too, Jay!’
Satisfied with his handiwork, Jason got up from the couch, turning the TV off, a quick look at the time putting it just past 10. With a sigh, he dropped his now empty mug into the kitchen sink and headed to his bedroom, pulling open the closest and reaching into its fake-back to pull out his suit.
He didn’t have an overwhelming urge to continue his plan anymore, sure he was still mad at Bruce, still wanted the Joker dead and still thought Gotham seriously needed cleaning up, but he’d weirdly found some sort of peace with everything through tormenting Bruce… It actually seemed to sedate the Pit, knowing he was messing with the man. So instead of donning his Red Hood to go out and battle for control of the drug trade and the streets, he went out with the intention to do good, to guard the streets as well as the birds and bats did.
At first, some folks were confused, but within a short hour, all of Gotham knew, Red Hood was no longer in the Crime Business but instead had gone all vigilante mode.
And it was after two hours that, Batman finally landed down beside him.
“Hood.” He spoke, voice gruff with an undercurrent of anger.
“Hey Bats. Fancy seeing you all the way down here in Crime Alley, thought you were too high and mighty to stick around where we actually need you.” Jason scoffed, sitting on the edge of a rooftop, legs dangling from where he’d paused, with the intention of a cigarette break, but that was halted for now. He couldn’t take his Hood off around Bruce. A domino worked fine for the rest of Gotham but Bruce had seen him in a Domino for years, it wouldn’t be enough to hide him properly.
“What are you playing at?” Batman asked, keeping his distance, stance defensive and ready for any sort of attack. Jason scoffed and waved a hand.
“Sit down before you hurt yourself. I ain’t here for a fight, y’know? I’ve changed my ways.” Jason shrugged, not that he’d actually made much of a name for Red Hood yet, he hadn’t even gotten around to killing anyone, just a few gunshot wounds to a couple guys, some intimidation and a couple brawls, but he’d not actually been strong enough to pull a trigger with intent yet. He was saving that for the Joker, he told himself.
“I’m not falling for that. Just tell me what you hope to achieve, you’ve suddenly turned against the crime world?” Batman asked, unconvinced and sarcasm dripping from his tone.
“Course. I can’t say I’m not against petty pranks though, how's your wardrobe looking nowadays? I thought you needed a summer revamp, y’know?” Jason taunted and Batman flinched, surging forward to pick Jason up by the lapels of his jacket, hanging Jason’s heavy weight in his two hands, precariously close to the end of the building. Jason didn’t fight, hung in Batman's grasp and clicked his tongue.
“Guess you didn’t like it then. Shame, I put so much effort into it.” Jason teased and then frowned under the mask when Bruce didn’t react, only glared harder and fists tightening further into the material.
“What, no witty comeback? No questioning how I could ever know these things? How I got in you big stupid house? No…?”
“Tell me.” Bruce asked, quietly, the fight suddenly drained from the man who sounded tired. “You used old codes. How did you know those?” and Jason frowned again, had Dick changed his codes? He’d used what he’d known to be Nightwing's from when he’d been alive and Robin, so why would Dick have changed his access code over the last couple of years? He had no reason to do so… And the old ones still worked? Talk about a security flaw.
“Mh, maybe I got your pretty birdie to sing for me?” Jason tried but the taunt felt flat, no energy behind it because he couldn’t do anything to hurt Dick, no matter what. Dick was his brother.
“He wouldn’t.” Bruce returned, instantly, face hard, still holding Jason up, an impressive feat since Jason wasn’t exactly a light malnourished alley rat anymore.
“Nah, of course not. I wouldn’t share my tricks that easily. You wanna know, you’re gonna have to work it out,
Bruce
.” Jason teased and then wriggled free of Bruce’s lax grasp, using the shock at hearing his name to escape, free falling off the side of the building before grappling at the last second, swinging himself up with the momentum and up onto adjacent rooftops, turning to see Batman still frozen before Jason was giving a mock salute and making his escape.
Batman didn’t follow him, nor did he try to track him down for the rest of the night, which Jason took as a win, helping a couple of girls get home safe after an attempted mugging and helping a college kid whose bag split, dumping their work all over the sidewalk. He’d walked them back to their dorm, carrying his massive amounts of paperwork, listening in as the kid explained all these crazy theories and wild ideas about their thesis that Jason nodded along to, not understanding half of it.
It was a nice change of pace, the kid even offered to buy him a late night coffee as thanks that Jason waved off. He knew College was expensive and the kid probably couldn’t afford to be buying things for other people, let alone himself.
Satisfied he’d made a minor difference and finally asserted his position not as a Rising Crime Lord anymore, but as a Vigilante, he headed back home to his favourite safehouse, pleasantly pleased to find two more photos and a few texts.
The first picture was another, slyly taken of Bruce browsing formal suits online, on his phone, shorts barely covering his behind. Jason cringed because he didn’t need that in his mind but it gave him a great idea for another way to bring Bruce some misery and let Jason prank Gotham. The second picture was Bruce, in his batgear at the kitchen table, Alfred looking unimpressed he’d brought the outfit upstairs and Dick laughing again, clearly the man refused to change back out of the suit and into his minimal clothing.
‘B refuses to change out of the Batsuit.’
‘And Dick told him he should cut the sleeves and legs off the Suit too.’ Tim had texted.
‘Dick also said he wanted to meet you, and your “genius” apparently, I don't think he worked out who you are but he seemed impressed at your antics.’
And that was all the texts. Jason reluctantly saved the first one with his phone, scrunching up his nose at it but needing it for his next gremlin plan.
‘Fine, bring him along.’ Jason replied, sending off the address of one of his other safehouses (he liked this one too much, he’d have to move to another to meet Dick, just in case anything went wrong or if B had trackers on his kids.)
‘Now?’ Tim asked because it was after midnight.
‘If you’re both down, sure.’
‘I’ll ask.’ And then Tim was gone for a bit. Jason slid his phone back into his pocket and then grabbed a cup of water while he waited for a reply.
A mere five minutes later Tim texted again.
‘He said yes, we’re heading out now.’
Jason texted a quick ‘Ok’ in response and then he was out of the door once more, glad he hadn’t changed out of his gear yet. The grapple over to the next safehouse didn’t take long, and Jason arrived a couple minutes before he had a wild Robin and Nightwing crawling through his window. Jason rolled his eyes as Nightwing put himself in front of Robin, even though he’d been the one to ask for the meeting.
“Hello to you too, Dickwing. You don’t need to be so on edge. I ain’ gon’ hurt you.” Jason waved a hand at Tim who waved back from behind Dick. Dick himself tensed and then relaxed, he wasn’t surprised, of course not, Hood had broken into the Manor, a clear indication he knew everyone's identity and unlike Bruce, he didn’t need it spelling out so clearly.
“Hood.” Nightwing replied, curtly, dipping his head and dropping his protective arm stopping Robin who bound over happily into a hug with Jason who instantly replied to the action, bigger arms wrapping around the kid who snuggled against him. Dick made an affronted noise.
“Hey how come I never get cuddles?” Dick whined and Tim laughed against Jason’s chest.
“Clearly I’m the superior brother, Goldie.” Jason smirked under the hood, feeling Tim tense against him slightly and watching carefully as Nightwing frowned, mouthing ‘Goldie’ to himself, silently, as he did.
“I somehow don’t remember B adopting a rogue turned vigilante?” Dick asked, eliciting a laugh from Jason who finally pulled away from Tim and flitted away to the kitchen, able to hear both boys follow.
“Is B still stuck in the Booty shorts, Tim?” Jason asked as he flicked on the kettle, grateful he successfully steered Dick away from that question, slightly.
“Course. It’s so funny!” Tim giggled as he answered, climbing to perch on the countertop, legs swinging from where he sat. Dick moved over to lean against the side of his forearms.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get the image out of my head and I hate it.” Dick added “but it was hilarious, yes.”
Jason gave a mock bow over the whistle of the kettle. “I, of course, had the best assistant.” Jason pointed at Tim who preened under the attention.
“I mean…”
“It was the Baby Birds idea.” Jason added and Dick shot Tim a look of awe.
“Tim! You’re amazing.” Dick beamed as Jason nodded, kettle finally done, turning to mash them all a cup.
“You both like tea, right?” Jason asked, earning twin nods, continuing to make three cups of tea, his own was strong, black and without milk, Tim’s was more average, Jason assuming the boy took it with milk and no sugar which proved correct when no protest arose. For Dick, Jason gave a sigh and pulled the sugar from the cupboard, passing over the bag, knowing the disaster that was his older brother took way too much sugar.
“Can’t I have a coffee?” Tim asked, instantly earning a red-helmeted glare.
“No. It’s late, no Caffeine for baby birds this late.”
“But Jaaaaay.” Tim whined, and then gave Dick an unsure look.
“Jay?” Dick asked as Jason slid them both over cups of tea before picking up his own in one hand.
“Well, I did say we’re brothers did I not? Or does dying negate adoption?” Jason asked, pulling off his hood to take a casual sip of his tea, smirking at the incredulous look of shock and awe and confusion on Dick’s own domino clad face. Tim let out a giggle, phone raising to snap a picture of Dick and quickly shooting it off to Jason as a text he was sure the other would appreciate later.
“Jason?” Dick asked, voice a broken whisper. Jason nodded.
“Yeah, s’me, Dickface. Back from the dead and all that jazz.” Jason answered, tea placed on the side to do weak jazz hands before Dick surged forwards and into his arms. Jason let out a noise of surprise but melted into the hug from Dick, eyes catching sight of Tim taking another picture where he sat before his eyes slid closed and his head fell forward to rest on Dick’s shoulder. It was only when Dick’s shoulders began to shake that he realised his older brother was crying.
“Hey, c’mon Dickie, it’s not that bad, I know you don’t like me but crying I'm alive again is a bit much.” Jason teased to break the tension, Dick instantly pulling away, pulling his own mask from his face, without solvent, which probably hurt if Dick’s flinch was anything to go by. Red, teary eyes met his instantly.
“Don’t say that. You- You don’t mean that do you? Do you think I hate you?” Dick asked, voice hoarse. Jason shrugged.
“I mean, you ignored me and I heard you didn’t even show up at my funeral.” Jason replied, his own voice low and riddled with uncertainty.
“I- You’re my brother, Jay. I could never hate you. I just- I wasn’t in a good place with B at the time and I took it out on you, I should have never- I’m so sorry- but I love you, Lil’ Wing. I- Bruce didn’t even tell me you’d died, I was in space and I came home to find you’d already been buried.” Dick paused, took a deep breath, tears now spilling from his cheeks, noting only subconsciously that Tim had vanished, both the boy and his mug of tea missing from the countertop.
“He didn’t tell you?” Jason whispered, Dick nodded and held out his arms, wanting nothing more than to hug once more, with the boy he’d still thought dead. If he’d been less emotional and more critical, he’d have thought about the possibility of Clones or Clayface or something but no, this had to be Jason, it totally made sense on why Hood had used his old codes from when he (Dick) was Robin himself. Nobody knew those codes except Bruce, Alfred and Jason. He’d changed them shortly after Jason’s death, but he’d been planning on changing them shortly after becoming Nightwing, needing to cut ties with his old persona that no longer belonged to him.
Jason surged forward instantly at the invitation, grateful for the human contact and for the safe feeling of his brother's arms, even if he was bigger than his eldest brother now.
“No, he didn’t. I wasn’t even out of contact either, he could have gotten a message through fine. He told me he thought I wouldn’t care enough to come back- I- He made me realise how shit of a brother I was. What kind of person was I if I gave the impression I didn’t care if you died?” Dick asked, voice still shuddering and hitching through more prominent tears now streaming over his cheeks.
“I didn’t- I didn’t know, I’m sorry- I thought you just hated me- Talia told me you didn’t care-”
“Wait Talia? Talia Al Ghul?”
“Yeah uh. She put me in the Pit.” Jason explained as Dick squeezed him tighter in the hug.
“That cow.” Dick spat.
“It’s fine. I uh-”
“You’re back now, that’s what matters most. Um. Are you going to keep using that name?” Dick asked, eyeing the Red Hood on the countertop.
“Yeah. Feels like a big ‘fuck you’ to the clown if I stole his moniker.” Jason shrugged in the hold, earning a wet laugh from Dick who finally pulled back.
“Uh, I’m not ready to tell B, please don’t tell him.”
“I won’t, as long as you let me in on pranking him into insanity with Tim, consider it payback for not telling me about y’know…” Dick trailed, Jason nodded. “I haven’t forgiven him for that yet so…”
“Deal. Tim mentioned roping Babs into it too?”
“Oh, yeah, he made her reroute or cancel all of Bruce’s clothes orders.” Dick explained.
“Beautiful. She can help all she wants.” Jason laughed, Dick joining in before silence befell them both.
“Oh shit, where did Timbo go? Tim?” Jason shouted, earning a shout back from his sitting room.
“I’m in here.”
And sure enough, when Dick and Jason filed into the sitting room, both with red rimmed eyes still, Tim was curled up on the sofa, a quiet movie on the tv and cup clutched in two hands, yawning.
“Hey Baby Bird, you tired?”
“Mm.” Tim mumbled. “You two talk it out?” He asked.
“Yeah, thanks, Tim.” Dick answered and plonked himself down on the couch next to Tim, instantly leaning sideways to rest his head on top of Tim’s. Jason did the same, sitting on Tim’s other side, his own mug placed onto the coffee table. Tim melted into the contact, being sandwiched between each brother in an uncoordinated cuddle pile.
“You can sleep here, s’fine. I rigged the place with security good enough to stop a Bat.” Jason explained, exhaustion seeping into his own bones. Dick yawned, setting off a chain of yawns between both of his younger brothers.
“Good. I’m too tired and drained to move.” Dick answered, eyes sliding shut even as the crappy movie continued to play.
And that was how the early hours of the morning went, the three brothers lulled into sleep, there on the couch, three empty mugs of tea and a cuddle pile, dreaming of new ways to prank Bruce into therapy while keeping the mystery of Red Hood alive.