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aries-writingblog · 1 year

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If We Have Each Other

Summary: Dick Grayson has always been a saint for his friends, but especially for his best friend and her daughter.

Pairing: Dick Grayson x F!Reader

Word Count: 3.4K

Warnings: reader is a single mom, language, mention of adultery/ cheating

AN: this can be read as a platonic relationship or romantic, photos are from Pinterest

“Grayson, you’re an angel.” YN announced as she opened the apartment door.

Dick chuckled, turning away from his current task of gathering stray clothes that had never seemed to make it to the laundry basket. He dropped the pair of socks into the pile, quickly approaching the two newcomers.

“Oh, my favorite person in the world.” He reached out and snagged the baby from her hip. Olivia gurgled, her hands grabbing out for him. “And her mother, of course.”

“Ha, ha.” YN droned, allowing him to take both bags and the carrier from her, as well as the baby. “She was a little fussy during the night, but she’s happy as a lark now.”

“Never mind, that, I’ll handle it. Olive loves me.” Dick grinned, tilting the baby’s body side to side, only to listen to the giggling and cooing she made. He tucked her against his chest, cradling her with both arms. His attention returned to YN, as she closed the door. “How’ve you been holding up?”

YN exhaled. Hands falling to her hips.

He could see the exhaustion on her face. In her eyes. It was more than a restless night’s worth.

Between her job, errands, and daughter, YN was stretched thin. It was her own choice— a stupid one, considering Dick had offered his assistance, time and time again. She refused, more often than not.

It didn’t stop him from going over to her place and ripping the baby away, forcing her to relax.

He wished she would let him do more.

“I’ve been hanging in there.” She admitted I’m taking Night Shift next week, first time since Olivia was born.

“She can stay with me. I’d love to have a house guest; We can watch Golden Girls together and have all sorts of fun.” He promised, eager to lift her burden, even just for a few nights.

YN shook her head, instantly; She dug around through the backpack, brows furrowed. She swore she packed Olivia’s blanket…

“No, I’m calling the babysitter. She’s college age and could use the cash—“

“No way!” Dick interrupted. He sighed, shifting Olivia to his hip. His free hand reached out and brushed her arm. Holding at her elbow. YN finally stopped shuffling the items, meeting his eyes. “Look, I know it’s tough for you. And I know you want to do everything yourself, but I’m not gonna let that happen. You already know, I don’t mind helping out.”

YN swallowed, her eyes stinging with tears.

God, she didn’t deserve Richard Grayson.

He wasn’t the father of this baby, he wasn’t even in a romantic relationship with her, and here he was, giving up the best years of his life for some other man’s neglect.

For her choices.

And he did it all with a glimmering smile in his eyes.

“You’re a life saver, Richard Grayson.” She croaked, blinking rapidly to quell the tears before they fell.

Dick chuckled, lightly brushing the stray tears from her cheeks.

She had been all over the place, ever since she found out she was pregnant. Crying at the drop of a hat, angry the next, overwhelmingly happy, rinse and repeat.

He was fully capable of surfing the waves of mood swings, by now.

“I’m your life saver, baby.” He nodded. He placed a hand on her back, pushing her along toward his bedroom. “Now, shoo. Go and sleep. Relax. Take a bath, read some books. Lunch is in the fridge when you’re hungry. Let the babysitting commence!”

He turned, holding the baby above his head and stomping back to the spare room, turned Olivia’s room.

Olivia giggled, as Dick wiggled her body in the air.

YN smiled, shaking her head. That man was something else entirely.

Pulling into a safe parking space, Dick turned his car off, searching his console for his wallet. Olive sound asleep in her car seat in the back. The girl could sleep through a hurricane, as long as she was in a moving car.

He was impressed, really.

Exiting the car, he rounded the back— making a pit stop on the left to grab his bag— then to the right side of the vehicle. Opening the back door and unclipping the belts around the baby’s chest.

Olivia cracked her eyes open, at all the new movements, a yawn escaping her lips.

“Grocery shopping with Olive.” Dick sang, tugging the knitted beanie snuggly onto Olive’s head. Covering her ears as she awoke, groggily staring above his head, into the shaded skies of Gotham.

He slipped the baby carrier over his shoulders, then scooped Olivia from her car seat and settling her against his chest.

She made no fuss, just curled her fists between their chests and propped her head against him. Cooing quietly as she tried to settle back into her nap.

Dick locked the car behind himself, backpack full of baby supplies, and his own necessities, on his back. Baby on his front.

This was how a majority of his errands were run, now. His ‘leaving home’ list a bit longer. Keys, phone, wallet, baby, diapers, etcetera. He preferred this over his bachelor days, anyhow.

Snagging a cart on his way in, Dick shrugged the backpack over his shoulders. Depositing the bag into the largest portion of the metallic apparatus. Withholding the infant, still against his chest.

Dick was more paranoid than YN was about a baby in the world. Bludhaven wasn’t as dark or despicable as Gotham’s streets, but having grown up in the dark made his affinity for the light that much greater.

And he never let Olivia out of his sight.

That included grocery store shopping carts. Not only were they hot beds for every snot nose kid’s germs, Dick could see a scenario playing out before his eyes. He leaves Olivia in the cart, cart gets snagged, baby gets snatched, and bye bye Dick Grayson.

Six feet under, murdered by a very angry mother.

Snapping away from the violent daydreams sucking him toward a crisis, Dick refocused on where he had aimlessly drifted. Luckily, down the right aisle.

Breakfast foods.

“You want Cheerios?” He muttered, moving his chin back to look at her. She didn’t seem to care about his words. It didn’t matter to Dick. “Hell yeah.”

He tossed the box into the cart, picking up a few other breakfast materials as he went. Several aisles passed, Olivia keeping herself occupied as he shopped. He talked to her nonstop— convinced that her grasp on the language would be better if he did.

And he didn’t care how stupid he might’ve looked doing it. Anything for Olivia wasn’t stupid at all. He was long past looking stupid in public; It was a juvenile fear of his that he surpassed quite easily, after his first few patrols with Bruce.

“Does the Olive want olives?” He asked, showing her the jar. Olivia turned her head to the opposite aisle, her eyes scanning the items. Uninterested in his proposition. “Yeah, me either.”

Dick swapped out the jar for a smaller one, putting it in the cart instead. He had nearly gagged the day he saw YN eating olives out of the jar— like they were potato chips. And at first, he was going to blame it on her sixth month pregnancy situation, but he couldn’t even do that because she had eaten them on many things, willingly, before that incident.

He usually had a small jar at home— pushed to the very back of his fridge, where YN would be the only person to eat them.

He didn’t even want to look at the things.

Dick hummed under his breath, bouncing gently. Olivia let out a long noise, the tone fluctuating as he bounced her.

She ended in a giggle; Wild laughter that echoed along the aisle. Dick scrunched his nose, mocking her. She only laughed harder.

He smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Dick pulled to a stop at the end of the aisle, glancing both ways before turning down the next.

But just as he pulled to a stop for Goldfish and other various crackers, he heard his name called from behind. Turning, keeping one hand on Olivia, his eyes landed on an approaching, feminine figure.

Kelly— the Police Sergeant’s secretary.

Her smile broadened as her eyes scanned to the baby strapped to his chest.

“I didn’t know you were a father.” Kelly smiled, her eyes switching back and forth from Dick to Olivia.

Dick laughed, following her gaze.

“Oh, technically— this is a friend.”

She blinked, brows creasing as her eyes flicked from the infant to the man she was strapped to again.

“The… baby?”

Dick gave an elated ‘uh-huh!’, before tilting his shoulder so that Olivia’s face was visible. Kelly cooed, doting on the baby instantly.

“Say hello, Olivia.” Dick shifted, trying to keep moving so that she wouldn’t fuss. “Her mom is a close friend and a single parent so, on my days off, I watch Olivia while she rests.”

“That’s so sweet of you.” Kelly pressed a hand to her heart, her eyes darkened, tilted so that she gazed at him through her lashes. Dick grit his teeth through a smile. “I’m sure her mom appreciates it.”

She was practically purring— in front of a baby, no less. A shiver of discomfort snaked down his spine.

He knew she had always been friendly with him at work, but he had never paid attention to just how friendly.

When he was younger, before YN and Olivia, perhaps he would have noticed. Perhaps he would have done something about it. But now, he just dreaded the scene that played out before him.

How was he supposed to word this and let her down easy?

“Yeah.” Involuntarily, his palm pressed to the back of his neck, brushing the strands away from his nape. “She’s a nurse at the hospital so her hands are always full.”

“I’ll bet you’re a hit with the ladies.” She giggled, fingertips brushing his bicep as she removed her hand from Olivia.

Bingo. Perfect opportunity.

“My days of chasing ladies are over, I’m afraid.” Dick chuckled, his hand pressed to Olivia’s back. She was wide awake now, and leaning into his palm, arms and legs outspread. Dangling from her seat. “It was nice seeing you, I’ve got a few more errands to run and Olivia has a date with a couple good looking toys on aisle seventeen.”

“Oh, don’t let me hold you up.” Kelly responded, her hands held in surrender. She gave another dazzling smile before leaning back down to the baby. “Bye, Olivia. It was wonderful to meet you. See you Monday, Grayson?”

“Monday, it is.” He confirmed, a nervous chuckle slipping from his lips. Satisfied with her work, Kelly turned on her heel and began making her way back to where she came from. Only glancing over her shoulder twice to send him a smirk— to ensure he was watching her walk away. Watching the sway in her hips.

As soon as she was out of sight, Dick exhaled a breath he hadn’t been aware was stuck in his chest.

“Oh, boy.” He groaned, relieved at his lonesomeness once again. Olivia gave a light grunt, fingers trailing over his lips. Removing the offending wigglers from his mouth, he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. “You’re a godsend, babe.”

She gurgled happily, completely ignorant of the words he spoke.

Even though she technically got him into the altercation, she also got him out of it. He didn’t feel bad taking advantage of her presence; Though, he may owe her a toy or two, after all.

It was mid afternoon before Dick and Olivia showed face at his apartment again. She was strapped to his chest, his arms full of his reusable grocery bags. Backpack on his back.

YN, who had taken it upon herself to finish up the laundry, pushed herself to her feet at his arrival. Her hands outstretched for the bags hanging from his arms.

He grunted.

“I’ve got them, don’t worry about that.” Dick refused. Instead, opening his arms so that she could unclip the infant.

So, she did what he asked. A wispy smile on her lips as she removed her daughter.

“Hello, darling. You have fun today?” YN asked, cuddling Olivia close to her chest. Dick gave an ‘uh-huh’ to answer; YN narrowed her eyes playfully, a smile pulling her lips involuntarily. “Were you able to get all your errands done?”

Dick nodded, dumping another bag onto the counter. He gathered a few items, then turned to put them away in the fridge.

“Yes. We went to the grocery store, the bank, picked up some documents from the station, defeated a whole gang of drug dealers, and got seven phone numbers.” He informed with a lilt in his voice. YN snorted, and Dick turned away from his fridge to continue his story. “You know how concerning it is that women practically fall over themselves for a guy with a baby? What if I were married?”

He pressed a hand to his chest, scandalously. As if adultery was the worst someone could do.

As if he didn’t see the utter destruction of human nature night after night.

“You should accept some of those, definitely.” She nodded, teasingly.

“Now why would I do that? I’ve got all the ladies I need, right here.” He grinned, holding her tightly against his side. She rolled her eyes when he squeezed her shoulder. “You staying for dinner?”

YN paused, running down her to do list. Nothing that couldn’t be put off another few hours.

“I don’t see why not, long as you’re not tired of us.” She bargained. Dick scoffed, sweeping her hair away from her face.

“Never.” He promised.

YN smiled gratefully, staring up at him. The domesticity of the moment was endearing. His blue eyes even more so. She should’ve been thinking a million different things— hell, she had been thinking at least a thousand before he looked at her like that.

Now, the only thought in her brain was that it was a shame her baby didn’t have those bright blue eyes.

A sudden, loud growling noise erupted from between the two adults. Yn’s face flushed with heat as she averted her gaze to the child in her arms.

“Speaking of dinner, someone is hungry. After that big day of fighting bad guys, we’ve got a tummy rumbling.” YN’s voice lowered, pressing kisses to Olivia’s face.

The baby laughed, her hands smacking her mother’s face and smushing her cheeks.

“You and me both, sister.” Dick concurred, brushing a hand over Olivia’s head.

YN readjusted to grab Dick’s backpack and start sifting through it.

“She have any milk left over?” She asked, pulling out his wallet and keys, pepper spray (like he wasn’t six foot and one eighty nine), various items of Olivia’s. She finally produced two empty bottles.

“Not a drop.”

“Damn.” YN muttered. Half relieved at the fact the infant was healthy and hungry, half annoyed she drank everything. Standing from her seat, YN began making her way out of the kitchen. “I didn’t have time to pump this afternoon, I slept most of it. Looks like we’re going old school, sugar.”

Dick reached over to the drawer beside the sink, rummaging through tea towels and potholders to find a burping rag.

YN caught it as he tossed it at her, throwing it over her shoulder. She made her way toward the living room to procure a modicum of privacy.

Dick hummed at her newest situation. He’d seen her topless far too many times to count. His embarrassment had long worn off.

That first night, in the hospital, he had tried to give her as much privacy and respect he could. He would turn away every time a nurse or doctor came in to check her; At every feeding, he would keep his eyes glued to her face so intensely it became a source of her self consciousness.

‘Get it over with and just look at my tits, Grayson.’

‘YN!’ He’d squawked— eyes going wide. She chuckled. ‘You’re my best friend and that feels like a boundary we shouldn’t cross.’

‘You’ve seen it all, Dick. Trust me when I tell you, this is the least embarrassing thing you’ll see me do from here on out.’

And she was right. As always.

But he liked to think himself a gentleman, and still gave her what she deserved in dignity.

Which is why he stayed in the kitchen, his back turned. YN’s soft hums floated in the air, along with the smells of dinner, being reheated on the stove.

It felt terribly domestic. It didn’t feel real. Like this was something he had dreamed up. Conjured in his mind to satiate his loneliness.

But his mind wouldn’t have made YN pregnant by a man who didn’t hold his word to her. Who didn’t have her back. Dick was too good a friend to imagine a future like that for her.

Even if he benefited from another’s loss. It hurt the ones he loved in the process.

“Your dinner, madam.” He presented the bowl graciously, his head dipping into a bow. YN snorted, eyes rolling. He settled in beside her, careful of the baby in the rocker in front of them. YN gently pushed it back and forth with her shin, keeping Olivia in motion. “Hey, wouldn’t it be hilarious if her first word was my name?”

YN sent him a side eye glance.

“If she says the word ‘Richard’ on first try, she’s—“

“No.” Dick laughed, the look of pure indignation on her face was too good to pass up. His original statement had been half a joke, but now… what he wanted to tell her wasn’t. He hesitated, fingers tracing over the handle of his spoon. “I mean like… dad.”

Yn’s chest tightened, her knee stopped moving. Her eyes pierced through him, though his own gaze remained glued to his soup.

She couldn’t say he had blind sided her— not really.

Dick had acted like Olivia’s father for as long as YN could remember. He had been the first person she called when she found out.

And he had been there every step of the way.

Of course, Olivia would call him dad. That was a given, that she had already confronted.

But for Dick to accept it? Encourage it?

That was almost too much to ask for.

“I’d like that,” YN murmured, clearing her throat. Dick’s gaze was heavy, as he lifted it to level with her. Her face was kind— her eyes gave away her true excitement. “You being her dad. Better than her real father.”

Dick scoffed, anger stabbing at his chest at the mention of the man who fumbled the best two people he had ever laid eyes on.

“That guy can kiss my entire ass.” He grumbled, tilting his bowl to his lips. YN hummed quietly, shifting Olivia closer to her body and carefully bringing a spoonful to to her own mouth. Olivia’s chubby hand reached up, attempting to disrupt the course. Dick smiled softly, reaching over and taking her hand. Pushing it down. “I do consider Olivia mine, you know. And you.”

He was trying to give her a heart attack.

And he was gonna get what he wanted.

Her heart pounded against her sternum. She had known for a while that Dick was slowing down in his older years. He hadn’t been on an actual date in… she couldn’t even remember.

At first she wanted to scold herself for being such a bad friend that she hadn’t even asked about his love life; But then, she realized, he hadn’t even mentioned anything like that recently.

He was being serious.

He hadn’t even needed to ask her and she agreed to his sentiments, wholeheartedly.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

“It’s nice to feel wanted.” YN murmured, failing at her attempt to guard herself.

Dick swore he heard heart strings snapping at her tone. He widened his legs, pressing his thigh to hers, ankles intertwined.

As close as he could get without disrupting their bowls, or the baby.

“I’ll always want you.” He promised, carefully leaning closer. “Even if you are obnoxious.”

YN let out a laugh, drenched in her tears. But Dick was prepared for them this time.

At least they were happy tears.

#dick grayson x reader #dick grayson x y/n #dick grayson x you #dick grayson x female!reader

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aries-writingblog · 1 year

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Dick Grayson Masterlist

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One Shots

If We Have Each Other

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aries-writingblog · 1 year

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Enemy Fire Taglist

@rkivecenter

@mxsmwndr

@thescarletcryptid

Enemy Fire: 27 (Epilogue)

Summary: There’s a new kid in town, and she’s got a city to usurp.

Pairing: Jason Todd x f!reader

Word Count: 7.0k

Warnings: language, mentions of therapy/trauma

AN: sorry this took me so long but we’re here!! The final part of Enemy Fire. I hope all of you enjoyed the ride. Thanks for reading❤️

Eighteen months later

Jason pressed his nose against her hair; His thumb stroked an even pace against her ribs. His other hand rested on his belly, fingers laced with hers.

Curled up beneath the moonlight, her skin was soft. Smooth against the rough pad of his fingertips. Her body warmed the sheets with a comforting heat, a familiar temperature that always burned steadily beside his own, cold body.

YN snuggled in closer, pressed against his chest. Her own fingertips traced indecipherable love letters on his skin. Carving out the words and burning them into his body.

Branding him with emotion— baring it on his chest for all to see.

Unabashed.

It had taken time— so much time— for him to accept the physical self the way she had.

His nudity. Their intimacy.

His past, a patchwork of various memories, various periods of his life. Scars and ripped flesh, burns and various other mementos he had carried through the years.

Painful, darkened memories threaded each stitch.

It hadn’t disappeared overnight, his hatred and loathing glares. But with each kiss she pressed to the damaged parts of him, he felt his soul become a little lighter.

And that was all he needed, for now.

He risked movement for a chance to glance at her face. Serene, peaceful. Bathed in the moonlight flooding her bedroom. Her eyes closed, head resting against his heart.

Her cheek was pressed against his autopsy scar, and yet, he wasn’t bothered by it at all.

Jason felt boneless, all of his muscles fully relaxed into the mattress. Into her touch.

One of her many benefits, Yn’s presence brought safety. Warmth and security— a furnace beneath the sheets to keep the chill at bay.

He inhaled deeply, again. His arm squeezed tighter, squishing her against his side.

“Hey.” He called softly.

YN shifted, readjusting her head into the crook of his arm. She hummed in recognition of his words— he had her attention, though her eyes were closed.

This was the time to do it, if ever. Now was the opportune time to talk, without interruptions. Without either of them getting upset at the other. They were both far too exhausted to argue.

And he couldn’t wait another minute. He had put this conversation off for two weeks, backing out at the last minute every time he thought of bringing it up.

Not this time.

Jason steadied himself with a deep inhale. Exhale.

“You wanna move in together?”

The silence was stifling. Oppressive.

Yn’s stillness against him was now nerve wracking. Unsettling.

How fast the night changes… how the same circumstances could go from soothing to world ending.

“Do you?” YN asked, keeping her eyes forward. Her head unmoving, body stiff against his.

He could feel the tension, the unease leeching into his own muscles. The more he spoke, the worse it would be, but he had to do something. Besides sit in this mess.

“I mean… we practically live here now. Together.” He spoke quietly, bashfully.

“Jason.” She exhaled his name sharply. She rolled over to her back, still settled against his body. His steadily increasing heart rate, pressed to her cheek. “We’ve been through this before. We tried the relationship thing and it didn’t work out.”

He sighed, exhaling through his nose at her opposition.

She had a point; They had tried the couple thing, around seven months prior. They had been friends with benefits for months, how much different could an actual relationship be?

As it turned out, very different.

Neither could fully commit to the deal. It had lead to arguments and fights. Most of them ending in one of them sleeping on the couch, or leaving the apartment entirely.

It would end in days of not talking, not seeing each other. There were several times Jason was sure she was dead— he would go on patrol at night, and keep an eye out. Certain that he would find her somewhere, and his last words to her were something awful.

In the end, they backed away from each other. Taking a break. Isolation lasted two months before their beneficial relationship started back up.

Getting caught back in the orbit. Unable to stop revolving around the other.

Things had been better, since the break. They didn’t run anymore. If there was a problem, they faced it head on. No matter how excruciating it was to dredge out feelings and thoughts.

The fights had been minimal.

Jason was happy again. And if Yn’s smile had anything to say, he knew she was too.

She didn’t want to obliterate either’s source of the joy. To her, the risk wasn’t worth the reward. But to Jason— he would’ve risked it all to keep her close.

“It’s working now.” He protested, softly.

YN pushed herself up onto her elbow, hovering over him. His eyes were bright, practically glowing in the dim light of the bedroom. His cheeks glinted— tear tracks still drying.

Her hand broke away from his grasp, coming to rest against his cheek. He nuzzled into her palm, allowing her thumb to wipe at his tears. She trailed down from the apples of his cheeks, brushing lightly over the scar that stretched out from his lip.

His breath hitched, eyes vulnerable. Staring up at her as if she was the only person in the world.

It was enough to make her heart ache. Her chest feel too heavy.

“Is it?” She asked.

Jason’s heart throbbed. She wasn’t asking because she knew it wasn’t working; She was asking to make him think twice. As if he hadn’t thought about it until his brain melted.

YN was only being logical.

He understood her need to protect against his antics. Their first relationship failed, and their recent one was purely physical (from the outside).

But he knew better. He could feel it.

This was the perfect time. Before, it had been rushed and overly dependent.

But now… now was perfect. He just had to convince her to try again.

“Of course it is.” He insisted. His fingertips brushed over her hip, coasting along the crest of the bone. Attempting to distract her from overthinking. “We come home to each other, make meals together, share everything—“

“Argue, throw things, you leave the toilet seat up—“

“I’m working on that.” He injected.

YN chuckled, the tension beginning to splinter off.

She wasn’t surprised at his offer; Initially, yes, but she could’ve seen this move coming from a mile away.

His progress had been astounding. His mild aversion to touch was nearly desolate, most of his anger was gone. He hadn’t relapsed in weeks. The drifting depression had all but vanished.

He was talking things through, instead of keeping them in or finding ways around the problem.

All that progress would be heaved backward, if their breakup happened again. And it would be her fault. She didn’t know if either of them could bare that weight.

“I don’t want to break your heart again.” She whispered. Keeping her voice low, trying to salvage the atmosphere.

He sighed, hands stalling to rest in the crease of her thigh. The room fell silent— the world along with it.

All waiting, holding a breath.

Listening closely.

“I want to call you mine.” Jason finally exhaled, his admission quiet and soft.

More than anything, he wanted to call her his own. His girl, his love. His everything.

He wanted to hold her hand, he wanted to snap at guys who brushed a little too close.

He wanted her to leave marks on his neck and lipstick on his cheek.

Jason wanted to be obliterated and pieced together again. He wanted all of her to meet all of him. To smash into each other like meteors, leaving behind the beginnings of a new world.

YN edged closer, fingertips brushing dark curls out of his eyes. The silvery, white chunk blended in the other strands. Her pointer finger gently touched a freckle, sitting on his temple, near his eyebrow.

She hoped he knew what he was doing. What they were getting into.

But she couldn’t even lie to herself and say his words didn’t spark a fire in her belly. Warming her chest with emotion she hadn’t felt with anyone else.

“Then do it.” YN murmured. His gaze traveled from her lips, to her eyes. A sincerity in the hues that he had been seeing more often than not, nowadays. “Because I’m yours Jason Todd. Completely, irrevocably, yours.”

An uncontrolled grin broke over his face; He sprang up, tackling her to the mattress.

YN squealed, falling back. Jason hugged around her midsection, pressing kisses to her face.

She squirmed back, her head falling off the side. A sharp cry of surprise left her lips. Jason secured his hands around her waist. YN suppressed her laughter, enough to threaten him.

“If you knock me off this bed, I swear Jason—“

“Then I’ll join you and we’ll fuck on the floor.” He shrugged, tugging her back onto the mattress. Her thighs draped about his waist, his torso towered over her.

Yn’s face flushed, both hands coming up to cover her face bashfully.

“Good god.” She grumbled, pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes.

Jason hummed, hands running along the outside of her thighs. Up to rest against her ribs.

“Right here, sugar.”

YN grunted, another flare of her flames bursting as she changed directions. The wind sliced through her padded uniform, but with how much she had been moving through the night, it didn’t affect her much.

“Incoming on your right, Tailspin.” Oracle’s voice informed through her ear piece.

YN growled, spinning in the air. Sure enough, a grunt worker was barging in, throwing a hand up to catch her ankle as she passed him. Turning her flames onto him, he ducked to dodge, right as she dropped to her feet.

“God, I wish you people would drop that shit.” She sent a roundhouse kick to the man’s temple. He crumpled into a heap on the ground, without so much as a noise.

“No way. You get branded in this family and you keep it forever.” Barbara teased.

YN swung around, throwing a knife into the kneecap of another approaching man.

“I’m beginning to see that.”

She reached for another knife, to incapacitate his second kneecap, only to be interrupted by a screech of pain.

A batarang lodged itself three inches deep in the man’s thigh. Sending him sobbing to the ground.

YN turned around, lifting her eyes to the rooftops. A shadowy figure stood, the moonlight against his back. Little bat ears depicting who had lent her aid.

Giving a two finger salute, YN turned back to her previous endeavor. Finishing up her work quickly.

Once she had all thirteen guys bound and gagged, she snatched one of their phones. Dialing 911 and leaving it at their feet.

She took off to the sky again, blazing trails propelling her higher.

Jason really needed to look into night guards on his properties. These raids had been more frequent, ever since she herself had conducted one against him. It had been partially her fault— she inspired all these idiots to attempt what she had— so she offered to help him clean it up.

He agreed it was her fault and took her up on the offer.

She couldn’t win them all with seduction, she supposed. There were only so many times she could press herself against him to distract, before he became wise.

Landing on the rooftop, her boots were quiet as she sidled up to the masked vigilante.

“You’re getting powerful.” Batman muttered.

She hummed— wondering how long he had been watching.

“I’ve always been powerful— now I’ve got it under control.” YN shook her hand out, her wrist stiff and sore. Barbara added the wrist braces to her uniform a couple weeks ago, to prevent any strain. “Been practicing.”

He hummed. Bruce knew how hard she had been working, lately. Gaining power over her abilities. Of course she had always had a respectable amount of control of her abilities, but her self control had needed adjusting.

Although she didn’t work with Batman, she was adjacent. The same way Red Hood was. And so she worked in the same manner: if there was a dead body, Bruce didn’t know.

She was appreciative of his work— how he operated and his No Kill policy. She admired his strength. His discipline.

But YN wasn’t Bruce. No matter how many times she tried to give her targets the benefit of doubt, her mind circled back again and again to the relief she felt after Adrian was gone.

She had the ability to give others that safety. That power.

So his path of forgiveness would have to wait. If it would ever come around, at all.

And Bruce was leaving well enough alone. YN wasn’t on a rampage, he knew her heart was in the right place, even if her methods were unsavory.

It wasn’t like any of the rest of his crew were better than she was, at times.

She had no true alliances, besides Red Hood. Tailspin only helped Batman on rare occasions she couldn’t find anything else to get into. Or if she needed information. Even then, she mainly asked as YN, not her night stalking alter.

Bruce didn’t hold her against it. Once she finished her parol, she was off the hook. Of course, her anonymity had been destroyed, as well as the public’s view of her. She didn’t care.

She didn’t do her work for the fame or notoriety. She did it to be better. And that was something Bruce could stand behind.

Though, the media was having a field day with the fact that she and Jason Todd Wayne were ‘dating’. But the two proved elusive and could rarely be spotted together in public.

Thinking of two troublemakers…

“You two are coming to our holiday, right?” He asked, shifting his attention away from the streets of Gotham to the woman standing beside him.

She was fiddling with her uniform— clearly unhappy with how it currently misbehaved.

“I’ll talk to him.” YN grumbled, readjusting the holster straps across her thighs.

Not only had Barbara added braces, but upgraded holsters and they hadn’t cooperated even for one moment. The buckles had gotten tangled in the straps earlier, twisted around.

And now, they were caught in her cargo pants.

Awesome.

“How’s he been?” Bruce asked.

Finally untangling the buckles, YN straightened, her gaze turning to the city. Lips pressed together, brow furrowed.

Just because Jason had started talking with his family again, didn’t mean he was getting along with them all the time. It didn’t mean all the conversations were bright or sunny, either.

While his personal progress has been exponential, his familial progress was slow, to say the least. After he moved back out of the Manor, with YN in tow behind him, he had trouble sleeping. Even after days of pushing himself to his limits, he would lie awake at night.

Sometimes, YN would catch him staring off into space. Mouthing words to a conversation she wasn’t privy to. It had been unsettling the first few times, but now it was disconcerting.

Jason never shared what those were about, and frankly, she didn’t think she needed to know.

Some things were better kept as a secret.

“Getting better. His therapist is good— she’s not letting him slip.” YN divulged, giving the vaguest descriptions she could.

Sure, he did share some details with her but most were kept under confidential, HIPAA lock and key. Sentences muttered only to his therapist and they never left the office.

But even the few things he did manage to share with her, YN wasn’t going to go around telling his whole family.

Those words were also confidential. Stuck between the two of them, in the melting ice cream they shared before bed.

Bruce seemed to understand. He nodded, leveling his gaze out to the city as well.

“Good. He needs a strong hand.” He commented easily.

YN snorted.

“He needs several.” She teased. Bruce hummed, amused. She cast a sidelong glance to the vigilante at her side. “Your hand is always gonna be included in that, by the way.”

He didn’t show it, but his brain instantly dropped service. Unable to focus on anything other than her words— the words that made his heart slam against his chest.

“So, you don’t see me as a nuisance anymore?” He asked, attempting to feign nonchalance. Tamping his excitement down as far as he could, to prevent showing his hand to her.

YN hummed, fingertips brushing back and forth over the handle of a knife. Strapped to her hip.

“You’re still a nuisance. But you’re his dad, he’ll always need you.” YN admitted. She could practically feel the excitement, radiating from his being. “And Alfred.”

“And you? How’s your therapy been?”

“Rough. But worth it.” She confided, weakly.

She hadn’t been the most receptive to her therapy; She hadn’t wanted to go at all. Her monster was dead, and she killed him. She disbanded his lingering mob in New York, and Jersey. Sold all his properties and stocks.

Jason still convinced her to go. She despised him for it, wouldn’t talk to him for days following the appointments. They were mountainous and dark, some things didn’t make sense and others she refused completely.

But it was slowly getting better.

YN couldn’t shake the anxiety therapy gave her. She was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. Several shoes, actually.

Yn’s phone buzzed against her thigh, where it sat in her zipped pocket. Fishing it out, she acknowledged Jason’s name and the picture of him in the kitchen. No shirt, just boxers and an apron covering his chest as he cooked breakfast. Early morning light streaming into the room.

One of her favorite candids.

One of her favorite memories. No matter how many times he tried erasing it.

Pressing answer, YN stepped off a few paces. One finger signaling to Bruce.

“Hello?” She resisted the urge to immediately ask what was wrong. Jason rarely called, much less while either of them were on patrol.

Tamping down the rush of anxiety, she waited for him to speak to her.

“Hey, you still out?” His voice was slightly tinny over the device, muffled.

But she could hear the thud of his boots dropping to the ground. He must’ve had her on speaker.

“Yeah. We’re on the last leg, now. I’ll be an hour, at most.” She answered. Jason grunted, knees pressed to his chest— tongue poked out slightly as he tugged his shoes on.

“Kay, I’m headed out for the day, leaving the window unlocked.”

YN gave a quiet ‘okay’. He usually left his window unlocked for her. At first it was a trick to get her into his apartment, complaining he couldn’t keep leaving it unlocked in hopes she was in the mood that night. Now, it was more of a routine.

Glancing back over her shoulder to the Bat, YN bit her lip. Now wasn’t the time to discuss the holiday gathering. Or why he hadn’t told her about it.

“Don’t forget—“

“I haven’t.” Jason assured her. Tonight was the night they agreed to sit down and talk through the mechanics of actually moving forward. It was a dinner date at a fancy restaurant. Her first fancy meal, since arriving in Gotham. Besides Alfred’s cooking, of course. “Geez, you treat me like a child.”

“You act like a child.”

“You act like a bitch.”

YN barked out a laugh, actually amused by his insults. Jason smiled to himself, as well.

“Be safe.” She advised.

He nodded, even though she couldn’t see.

“Got it.” Jason confirmed, listening as the call ended. He tied off his lace, getting to his feet and snatching his phone. Shoving it into his pocket before he was on his way out of the door.

YN stared at the screen for a moment before tucking it safely into its pocket. She turned back to Bruce, zipping the pocket.

“Let’s wrap this up, pretty boy.” She grumbled, stepping up to the ledge. They had one last area to scan before they could finish. “My guy is starting to get nervous.”

Bright fluorescent lights bounced against the laminate flooring. Children screeched and the chatter of a crowded grocery store was beginning to cause Damian a headache.

He wasn’t the only one of the group that the impromptu venture was distressing. Drake seemed to be bored out of his mind, Duke was half insane with anxiety over the crowds and his list.

Grayson seemed to have elevator music playing on repeat in his mind.

“This sucks.” Tim groaned, head tilting back. He stared at the ceiling for thirty seconds. “I hate shopping with you people.”

“I’m just trying to get the right gifts, alright? It’ll only take a second.” Dick grunted, phone in hand as he searched the shelves before him.

“No it won’t, you’re so indecisive you make everything difficult.” Damian argued. He didn’t even want to go to the store, so close to a holiday. People, who had the same meager thought processes as Dick, packed the shopping centers with fervor.

Scrambling to finish their lists and prepare for last minute get togethers.

Crowds was not where he wanted to be at any time, but his father insisted he go.

It was suspicious, but he knew it was because of the childish games his father wanted to surprise everyone with. For the entire month of December, he had been hiding a strange elf creature around the manor and the first to find it won a prize.

Damian had refused to participate, even when the elf was blatantly left in places where he would find it first. He simply picked it up and relocated it for someone else to find.

Much to Bruce’s chagrin, he would not be participating in any sort of childish events during the holidays. He wouldn’t even attend the dinner, had it not been in his own home.

Tim, however, had a million other things he would’ve rather done. Instead of grocery shopping and babysitting.

Somehow, it wasn’t fair that he was sent out with his idiot siblings, while the girls got to decorate the Manor. And no one even knew where YN was— which was concerning, but when asked, she told him to mind his own business.

“It’s not my fault you waited until Mary was giving birth to start holiday shopping.” Tim grouched, shooting off another text to Kon, then beginning a new text to send to his newest interest.

“Remind me why you insisted everyone join us? We couldn’t have come by ourselves?” Duke asked, checking another item from Alfred’s list.

He had been sent to ensure the group would actually shop and be back to the Manor at an appropriate time. Ever since he had seen Alfred brandishing a sawed off shotgun at an intruder, he had been slightly terrified of the butler.

And if Alfred have him specific instructions on shopping and deadlines, by god Duke was gonna get it done. He wasn’t gonna let any of the very distracting bat kids fool him, either.

“I need several opinions.” Dick explained, scrolling through the app on his phone. Searching for the perfect gifts, he had neglected to get before hand.

“The voices in your head don’t give you enough?”

Dick scowled, unsure of which boy the muttering came from. To solve that issue, he simply tugged on both of their ears.

“Cut it out!” Damian slapped at his hands, shoving away from the larger man.

“You’ve got maybe five minutes before I go rogue, like Jason.” Tim jutted a thumb over his shoulder.

Dick frowned, turning back around. Sure enough, they were missing a member of the group.

“Jason?” He asked, eyes searching out the tallest brother. He hadn’t even noticed when he snuck away. “When did he—“

“Dammit!” Duke cried, nearly panicked. “I told you all to stay close, I don’t want to hunt any of you down and we have to be back by eleven! If he makes us late—“

“I’ll find him.” Dick promised, quickly slipping away and scurrying across the crowded store.

Duke cursed again, dread filling his stomach. Tim sighed, shoving his phone into his pocket.

“I’ll follow him.” He trudged off in the direction of his escaped brothers.

“And I’ll follow him.” Damian promised. He didn’t want to be here any longer than he had to be. Knowing the trio of older brothers he had, they would be sure to get distracted.

Duke exhaled. Regaining his calm. It was a shame that he relied on the word of a young teenager more than his friend and a fully grown man, but, so was the way of the bat family.

At least he could move faster without the group weighing him down.

A broad shouldered, six foot something man stood in the middle of the showroom. Hands in his pockets, staring at a glass case.

Sidling up beside his brother, Dick’s eyes fell to the display case. Glittering gems embedded in sterling silver and gold, all shining brightly.

Waiting for a lucky someone to choose the perfect cut, perfect design.

To give to their special someone.

Dick’s heart leapt in stark realization. A rush of euphoria grappling hold over his mind.

He choked it down— playing cool. Jason would never share anything if he got too excited. Which really sucked sometimes; Because Dick wanted nothing more than to show his brother how excited he was that he found YN.

“You thinking about it?” Dick asked, casually. Hands tucked into his pockets.

Jason snorted, his eyes set on a certain piece near the back.

“Hell no.” He answered.

Lies.

Jason had thought about it. Before they broke up. He had thought that, maybe if he proposed to her, maybe if he showed her he was serious, then she would accept. They could leave behind some of their issues.

But now, Jason was glad he didn’t do it. It would’ve ruined everything. For good.

He didn’t even know if YN wanted to get married. Ever. They had been so busy arguing and living in the moment, back then. They had rarely talked of the future.

“Seriously? You two have been together forever.” Dick grumbled.

Jason scoffed, turning away from the display cases.

“One year is not forever.” He argued. Dick rolled his eyes, mocking his words.

Jason’s hands were instantly out of his pockets, and reaching for his brother’s shirt. A scowl on his face.

“I’ll put you through a window.” Jason growled, eyes baring down into Dick’s.

Dick put his hands on Jason’s wrists, staring him down. Almost daring him.

Luckily, intervention occurred before Jason could escalate his threats. It came in the form of Timothy Drake, sauntering up to the pair. Damian trailed after him— his face burning at the pair of grown men, threatening each other in public.

“They aren’t even a couple— it’s a ‘situationship’.” Tim announced, making finger quotes around the word.

Jason’s face flared with heat, making the hoodie he was wearing practically unbearable.

‘Situationship’ was even worse than Dick’s implications.

Situationship implied that one of them wasn’t even remotely interested in the other, past the physical. And Jason knew better. Because YN wasn’t that person. He knew she wasn’t that person.

“For your information, asshole, we’re…” He paused. Catching himself before he let his heart spill through the cracks. “We don’t have labels.”

“So you’re together?” Dick prodded.

Jason pressed his lips together, firmly.

They weren’t ‘girlfriend and boyfriend’, they agreed to talk it out. Give a relationship another go. Besides, those titles felt juvenile and stiff. YN wasn’t some girl. She was part of him, as narcissistic as it sounded.

He felt dizzy by the line of questioning; Unsure of things.

But that was fine, right? They were still talking things out and everything would get better after some time.

Then again, it had been three weeks since their conversation. And still, he was unsure about titles, of all things.

“I don’t like this conversation.” Jason stated, shoving his hands into his pockets. Not quite uncomfortable, but definitely uneasy.

“Neither do I. Can we move away from Todd’s extracurriculares?” Damian complained, flicking a predatory glare at two younger children who stepped too close.

“Come on, we’re gonna be late.” Duke pushed through the group, having completed his own gathering tasks.

Luckily, he found them before Damian could guide the group back toward him. He corralled the gaggle of them forward, making another head count to ensure everyone was present.

He stopped the cart in one of the checkout lines, going down his list again to triple check. Then he did another head count. Everything was in order.

“Oh my god!” Dick swooped forward, his tone incredulous. Jaw dropped open, eyes glued to the magazine in his hands. “Look at that angle! I look horrible!”

Jason frowned, snatching the copy. The title was in bold, yellow ink.

‘Nightwing: Friend or Menace? Bludhaven’s Saucy Night Crawler Bribing the Police?’

Dick’s alter ego was plastered on the front page, mid swing.

“They’re framing you for bribery.” Jason pointed out.

“I know,” Dick pouted. But still, his eyes remained on the magazine cover. “They could’ve at least gotten my good side.”

Jason rolled his eyes, shoving the tabloid back into its place. His goal of moving on from the aisle was blocked by Dick’s body.

He grumbled under his breath, nudging the man’s shoulder to move. Dick slapped his hand away, quickly picking up the magazine copy.

Jason scowled.

“Why are you buying that? You’re just giving them reason to make more of those bogus claims.” He challenged. Dick crammed the copy beneath his other items.

“It’s my face, I can make whatever bogus claims I want.” He muttered.

Dick was half tempted to buy out the store’s entire stock; And he would’ve— if it wasn’t suspicious. Besides, he needed to keep an eye out for Nightwing, anyways. If anything happened to be a little too close to accurate in the article, he would be in trouble.

Because unlike Jason, who’s cover story was that he was legally dead, Dick had to watch his footing in the press. Both as a Wayne, and a vigilante.

“You’re impossible.” Jason determined, stalking after the group of degenerates he called family. Duke nearly called out in anger, before Jason held up the car keys.

Damian quickly followed, eager to escape the grasp of public shopping in the holiday season.

The Manor was loud.

Louder than normal, anyways.

YN closed the door after herself, and followed the sound.

One of the sitting rooms had Just Dance still on the television screen, the characters moving endlessly on a waiting screen.

Various jackets had been discarded on the couches. Shoes kicked off at the door. Pillows seemingly launched at the participants, from what she could see from their new positions on the ground.

Jason had told her that morning that the whole family was going to be at the manor, all day. If she wanted to join. As interesting and tempting as the proposal was, YN declined.

She found a lead on a case— that she hadn’t shared with him, yet, in fear that he would shut her down. Claiming she was chasing ghosts.

She told him she was going to run a few errands before meeting up with them later. Most of it was truthful.

She did run errands.

And then she hunted down her lead. Which was technically an errand.

Either way, it was near sundown.

And there was a slight ache, to know she missed out on some of the festivities and fun. She could dismiss it, knowing that her nose was always right.

She just had to figure out how to tell Jason about the weapons being smuggled into Gotham, without him scolding her for going off alone again.

But for now, she would settle for just being near him. Wondering how many rooms she had to search in the Manor to find him.

She didn’t search much longer, though. To her delight, she found him in the kitchen. He was finishing up with a pie, brushing egg yolk over an unbaked crust. Flour stained the red apron wrapped around his waist, and he seemed to have a little more white in his hair than usual.

Taking advantage of his obliviousness, YN snatched a hand towel from the counter. She waited until he straightened, finished with his task, and then whipped the edge at his ass.

Jason nearly leapt out of his skin, his knees colliding with the cabinet doors, noisily. Egg yolk sloshing dangerously in its mixing cup.

He spun around, scowling. YN stood innocently, twirling the rag with a grin on her lips.

“The hell is wrong with you?” He demanded, gruffly.

“I waited until you were finished.” She argued.

“Gee, thanks. Really takes the sting outta my ass.” He slid his tools back to the counter and carefully moved his pie to a sheet pan.

“You couldn’t feel it through your pants.”

“You don’t know what I can feel through these pants.”

Jason slid the pan into the oven. Turning back to face her, he untied his apron and draped it on the island counter.

Reaching out, he snagged her around the waist. Sunlight fell in strips around the kitchen. The sunset glowing fiery red and orange, leaving his skin tinted with warmth. His eyes held a sparkle she hadn’t seen in a while.

His fingertips pressed into her back, urging her closer. Leaning into her, he went in for a kiss. Only for her to pull her head back and to the left.

He frowned, leaning back to look at her.

“First time I’ve seen you all day and I can’t even get a kiss?” Jason complained, brows furrowed.

“No.” YN replied, her hands falling to his sweater.

Her fingers twisted the fabric into her fists, and she pulled him in. Jason couldn’t stop the smirk on his lips as they collided.

He was never one for public displays but… God, she made him feel powerful. Like he held everything right there, in his hand. Every touch left him breathless.

He didn’t even care his family was in the next room, quite possibly listening in.

She pulled away, eyes glittering in the manor’s lighting.

“You suck.” He croaked, the dopey grin on his face showing his true hand.

YN hummed, pecking a second kiss to his nose.

“I know.” She patted his chest twice, then backed away. Fingertips dragging along his shoulder as she treaded toward the dining room.

Jason stared after her for a minute, at least.

He wasn’t even aware his feet had been moving him, until he bumped into a dining chair. His face flushed red, at the scraping noise it made against the hardwood floor. His hands darted out to fix the askew furniture.

YN suppressed a grin, sinking her canines into her lip.

Jason cleared his throat. He pulled the chair back further, nodding for YN to sit. Attempting to play off his fumble.

She sat, without opposition, and let him push the chair in to the table. He selected the chair beside hers, closest to the exit. Shielding her body.

Stephanie cooed, her hand pressed to her chest. Right above her heart.

“You two are disgusting.” She complained, cheerily. She yanked a chair out, flopping into it ungracefully. As Alfred began to transfer dishes from his cart, to the table, Steph waved a hand to him. “No need to set a room for me, Alfred, I’ll be sleeping on the highway.”

“Very well, miss, would you also like your breakfast delivered?” He asked, leaning between Bruce and Damian to fill the table.

“No, just a tombstone.” She confirmed. She put both hands into the air, as if displaying a title of a show. “‘Here lies Stephanie Brown: Died of singularity.’”

Tim snorted, covering his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Dramatic.” He decreed.

“I am not!”

YN nudged Tim’s ribs gently, rolling her eyes at Steph’s outlandish comedy. He returned the gesture, digging in a little deeper than she had, just because. With a hint of a grin on his lips.

While he hadn’t been her biggest fan when she first arrived, the two were mild acquaintances now. They mainly chatted during family events (when Jason told her about them) but they kept themselves entertained and out of trouble.

It had taken a few, hard looks in the mirror for both Tim and YN, to realize, they saw bits of themselves in each other. And maybe the reason they disapproved of each other was perhaps because, deep down, they disapproved of themselves, or whatever bullshit Dick spouted to get them in the same room together.

In the end, the two had teamed up against Dick and shamed him for many aspects of his life and choices; Which left him half irritated by their antics, and partially proud his plan worked.

Dick had not been discouraged by the pair; As he stood up at the dinner table, magazine in hand.

The pages slapped together as he tossed it to the table in front of Bruce.

Bruce, who had his spoon halfway to his mouth, peered up through his lashes at his son.

“Bruce, just take a look at that.” Dick demanded, crossing his arms.

He did as instructed, casting his gaze down to the issue before him. His son’s alter ego plastered across the front page, bold words surrounding his frame.

“Wow.” He commented, nodding at it. “You’ve been promoted to bribery.”

“The picture, Bruce. The picture.” Dick stressed, jabbing his finger into his own, printed face. He dragged it down, directing his complaint to the appropriate area. “My ass looks flat.”

Bruce frowned, scanning the rest of the magazine’s cover.

“That’s not the point of any of this.” He determined, pushing it back across to his bewildered son. “I’m not commenting on your rear end.”

Dick groaned, collapsing back into his seat with a flourish. Head lolling back in frustration.

“Oh come on! Anyone gonna comfort me?”

Duke cupped his hands around his mouth:

“Damn— look at that thick ass white boy!”

YN snickered, slicing through her pork loin skillfully. Dick ignored her, in favor of his pity compliment.

“Thanks, Duke. You’re the only one who’s ever cared.”

Bruce barked out a laugh, grinning down at his plate.

“I only took you in after a series of unfortunate events, and Alfred had to go along with it.” He shrugged, nonchalantly.

Alfred hummed in agreement, finishing up his duties before pushing his cart out of the room and down the hallway.

“I thought you hated these tabloids.” Barbara interrupted, grabbing the magazine to inspect for herself.

“I do. Your point?” Dick questioned, cocking an eyebrow.

Barbara sent him a suspicious glance but passed the magazine to Cass when she signaled for it. She made a face before tossing it to the floor, under the table.

Dick cried out in dramatic outrage.

‘Your ass is flat, let’s move on.’ She signed, picking up her utensils to resume eating.

It sent Dick into a tailspin. Raving about the respect he gets in the household, and just how many more brats are you gonna raise, Bruce?

All in good nature, Jason supposed.

He glanced to his side, where YN sat, eating quietly, simply observing the chaos.

“You good?” He whispered.

YN met his gaze, with a smile.

“Great.” She replied, her hand finding his thigh and her fingertips pressing into his skin. Squeezing gently.

She let her hand rest there for the remainder of the dinner; Jason was practically buzzed from the pressure of her touch. Even if it wasn’t skin on skin.

Alfred stood idly, preparing various mugs while Bruce attempted to garner the attention of his motley crew.

Everyone was gathered, post dinner, in the main living room. Damian was crashed on one of the couches, but still in the room. Bruce gave him credit for trying.

The rest of the group was mingling— tossing out various taunts and threats to each other as they prepared for the hunt.

Alfred passed Bruce a mug of hot chocolate, still steaming.

Once it was secured, Bruce whistled sharply. All eyes snapped to him, eagerly waiting.

“The elf has been hidden again and the search can begin….” Bruce paused, holding his breath. “Now!”

Jason immediately pressed his palm into Yn’s face and pushed her backward. She stumbled, arms flailing out to catch herself.

“Ow— hey!” She snapped, kicking at his shin. Jason shook her off and bolted ahead of her.

“There’s no way I’m letting you cheat again.” He shouted, over his shoulder.

YN scowled, righting herself against the wall.

“I didn’t even cheat that time!”

“Yeah, right.”

She growled, pushing off the wall— leaving a palm shaped scorch mark in her place— and took off after him.

Concern of winning the elf had now dwindled, in favor of strangling her partner.

“You son of a bitch— get back here!” YN’s voice boomed, echoing through the hallway as she chased him down. At a disadvantage against his head start sprint. “Say it to my face!”

Bruce barely even winced at the crashing sound, deeper in the manor, nor was he concerned of the mark on the wall. Both had become unnervingly common since he had adopted his children.

Alfred stood one step behind him, observing the quick patter of feet, all across the manor. The shrieking laughter and vicious taunts shared between the siblings and friends.

There were more distinct thuds, suspiciously akin to when YN hit the wall prior. More shouting followed. And it sounded like her voice.

“Those two may never grow up.” Alfred warned, staring down the hallway.

“Lord, no,” Bruce agreed, a little too hastily to be anything other than truth. “Though, I think we all appreciate Jason being a little less serious.”

“I’m rather proud to see them both act so childishly.” Alfred admitted. He wasn’t even the least bit annoyed when any of the children were childish (and there were moments when he was entitled to his emotions regarding the fact). But Jason had never been like the others. Always so guarded, even as a child. He never received a proper childhood. Now, he was getting one. At least, portions of one. “They’re good to each other.”

Bruce hummed, tilting the mug to mix his drink again.

“Cheers to that.”

#arieswritingblog #enemy fire

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