#nightwing and jaybin adventures

[002yb]

Can you write about domestic dickjay cuddling on a rainy day?

It's not that they weren't anticipating the rain, there was just fuck all they could do about it while they were working. Crime doesn't stop for inclement weather, after all. Which somehow works out fine for Jason, but Dick? Not so much.

Poor guy braved the elements and lost bad.

Jason snickers as he saunters closer, the cape of his Robin costume pulled over his head to spare him from the worst of the downpour. Though Jason hasn't said anything, Dick still tamps his foot down in a puddle, splashing at Jason because Jason's cheeky smile says it all.

Between one step and the next, Jason closes the distance between them with a playful splash of his own. Lighthearted retaliation followed up by an easy truce as Jason raises his arms, lifting his cape higher to offer shelter.

Cold as it is, Jason's smile is warm; both biting and soft in a way that has Dick's lips curling into something just as tender. It's enough to chase the chill out of Jason's bones and make a soft flush settle across his cheeks.

Dick pushes his hair back out of his face, stooping low to duck beneath Jason's cape as Jason stretches up onto his toes. Beads of water cling to Dick, chasing down his skin to trail across his jaw and beading at the ends of his hair and - oh. Jason didn't think things through this far.

Like this, they might be too close. Jason can do little more than stare at Dick, wide eyed and flustered. A warm blush burns hot across his freckled cheeks, a contrast of color to the dreary grays around them. It's not something Dick doesn't not notice. Jason watches how Dick's gaze drops, lingers; how his lips quirk into a ghost of a smile.

Jason drops down from his toes and Dick follows him with how Jason's cape catches over his head, drawing them unwittingly closer - knocking their foreheads softly together.

And Dick laughs, faint and breathless and warm over Jason's heated skin.

Poor guy braved the storm and lost, but the joke is ultimately on Jason because time and again he braves Dick and loses just as bad.

[kara-zor-els]

Do you have any recomended readings for Jason Todd? Not a full masterlist, just runs you'd recommend

I answered this way back but I have read a lot more comics since, so I think that it's a good time to revise it. All the links lead to readcomicsonline, so I'd recommend using an addblocker before clicking on them. And please make sure to buy the comics if you can.

✨Jason Todd Comic Recommendations ✨

Pre-Crisis

Pre-crisis Jason was essentially a clone of Dick, down to his dead parents being circus performers, so there is not a lot of this era that I'd recommend, and you can honestly skip this section. That being said:

For The Man Who Has Everything (Action Comics Annual #11): this is not really a Jason story as much as an (iconic) Superman story. It does however mark the first meeting between Jason and Wonder Woman, and he does play a role in defeating the bad guy.

Post-Crisis Robin Era

Main Robin Run (Batman (1940) #408 - #425): this includes the revised Jason origin (aka the one most people know about), Jason's first mission as Robin (ft. Two-Face!), Jason and Dick teaming up for the first time (this Jason and Dick team up got retconned in Nightwing Year One, but imo the original one is much better) and some other Jaybin adventures. My favourites are Bruce and Jason trying to catch a Serial Killer terrorizing Gotham as well as the Felipe Garzonas storyline, which sets the stage for ADITF.

Legends: This is a small event and Jason isn't in it a lot but I really liked it.

A Death in The Family: Jason dies in this one.

Post Resurrection (aka, the Red Hood era)

Under the Red Hood: this is the deluxe edition, which includes the main UTRH sotryline as well as the fight prior to that set during the the Hush story arc and Batman Annual #12, which is Jason's first Red Hood origin (it get's expanded upon later in Lost Days):

Red Hood: Lost Days: Essentially Jason's time between coming back from the dead all the way to UTRH

Teen Titans #29: The Titan's Tower incident. a lot of people dislike this one but personally I though it was pretty fun lol. Basically Jason beats up Tim in the most dramatic, theater-kid-esque way possible.

Green Arrow #69-72: Jason vs Mia Dearden.

There are some stuff set between this and the New52 but I have either not read them (Brothers in Blood, Countdown) or they were bad (Battle for the Cowl). Then there comes the New52 RHATO run (horrible) and the Rebirth RHATO run (not as horrible but still bad) So instead I'd skip to Infinite Frontier and recommend:

Batman: Urban Legends #1-#6: The first story called Cheer has a Jason and Bruce team up. It's not the best but I don't hate it as much as any of the RHATO stuff.

Task Force Z: Jason joins a team made up by zombified Batman rouges. That one was actually good.

Elseworlds:

From the DC Vault: Death in the Family: Robin Lives!: What would have happened if Jason didn't die during UTRH (currently ongoing)

[002yb]

If I may... Omega Jaybin nesting headcanons? Perhaps a side of hijinks 👀

"Do you not nest?" It's an honest question that Jason doesn't know how to answer. He thinks of the sheets and blankets he stripped from his bed and puts on the floor; how it's vaguely nest-like but how he always sleeps just outside of it - keeping himself to the fringes of comfort and safety because of a deep-rooted insecurity that Jason shouldn't get comfortable; nothing good lasts. That pile of discarded bedding is his nest. That it's so unconventional that it doesn't register as a nest to Dick at all has a light flush of color spreading across Jason's cheeks - embarrassed and ashamed although there's no reason for him to be. There's no regard or care to how Jason handles his nest. He'll throw around blankets and pillows, sweeping Dick up in its comforts when Dick lays beside him. He doesn't feel anything but endearment when Dick turns around and smothers Jason with those same comforts, covering Jason with the weight of bedding that smells more like them than just him. Maybe the comforts don't matter much. Maybe it's better to say that Jason's nest is their corner on the floor of Jason's bedroom, squished between the bed and window. Maybe it's those late hours of the night when they'll talk about everything and nothing, ankles bumping together. Or maybe it's the mornings when watery light slants across them and they're both awake but loathe to get up because it's warm and comfortable. Perhaps it's those sleepless times in between, kept awake by nightmares and only settled by the breathing beside them or the pinch of toes to pant legs or calves, curling forward just enough to close a minuscule distance because, 'I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I don't want to be anywhere else.' Maybe it's best to say that Jason's nest is where Dick is.

Read More on Ao3

Also silly extra below cut, just for tumblr; it involves knitting!Dick lol what a cutie ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡

Extra: (it's set in this verse, just made omegaverse)

Dick buying copious amounts of blankets for Jason, only for Jason to be confused because why?? And Dick, sweet dork that he is, immediately agrees because, 'you're right. I should make them myself.'

Which is how Dick picks up knitting.

Just a sweet visual of Dick sitting crisscross on the couch, Jason's head rested on his lap while watching a video on how to knit

And Jason is low maintenance with his heats so Dick has time to finish a respectable amount (that smothers Jason as he sleeps and wakes him up because he's got a strip of blanket in the face)

Jason is delighted by it because he's never been given a gift like this and ;3;

It takes a lifetime but Jason eventually gets a full sized blanket.

[002yb]

“This wouldn’t have happened in Gotham.” Jason complains, his voice an exasperated drawl in Dick’s ear.  When Jason goes so far as to heave a dramatic sigh, Dick rolls his eyes and bounces Jason upward, readjusting his grip beneath Jason’s thighs as he piggybacks Jason home.  It does little to disturb him, Jason’s arms stretched languidly across Dick’s shoulders and his chin coming to rest at the crown of Dick’s head.

“If this were Gotham, you’d have been robbed blind afterwards.” Dick quips, honest because he’s seen it happen more than once.  Someone trips off a curb and sprains their ankle?  That’s prime pickings, right there.  Jason knows it too, because he cackles and ducks his head to smile at Dick, all teeth and bite and promise.

“Not to prove your point, but my wallet’s right here.” He says through a bout of stifled titters, patting his back pocket before snickering, “Where’s yours, Blud boy?”

Dick doesn’t need to check to know that Jason picked his wallet at some point during all this, the punkass twerp.  Dick heaves another sigh, glaring half heartedly at Jason who cheekily pulls Dick’s wallet from the pocket of his hoodie and waves it right under his nose.  Sprained ankle be damned, Jason is a Gotham boy.  Of course he wouldn’t have gotten robbed - just the sorry sucker that helped him would.  Silly him.

“You can take the boy out of Gotham, but there’s no taking Gotham out of the boy, huh?”

Despite himself, Dick shakes his head and chuckles incredulously under his breath.  Jason continues to cackle.  Pleased as he slips Dick’s wallet into the inner pocket of Dick’s jacket and gives it a pat.  The weight and pressure of it against his chest is proof that it’s been safely returned.  It doesn’t say much for if any cash or cards he had in there are in the clear, but Dick doesn’t rightly care about it.  Not really.

He’s already thinking of the next time this happens, given that Jason has made a game of it the same way Dick has made it a pastime to make Jason fluster.  Maybe Dick will try harder to catch Jason next time Jason is feeling cheeky—take Jason’s hand with its sticky fingers and hold it until Jason breaks down with sputtered words and rosy cheeks.

“Lucky you, huh? You get your own little piece of home, right here.” Jason snickers, drawing Dick’s attention back from his wandering thoughts.  The sentiment of Jason’s words warms his chest even if the boy is oblivious to just how true his own statement is.  Gotham, Bludhaven; it doesn’t matter where.  Home is with this darling menace of a hellion. “Gotham won’t ever leave you alone.”

[002yb]

It’s with his breath caught in his throat that Dick wakes.  He holds it there until his lungs burn, until he feels lightheaded; turning his head to smother the sound of his exhale because it’s late and he can already feel in his chest how it will shudder.  He needs to be quiet so that no one will hear, but discipline and restraint be damned, his body tremors from memories - twisted from guilt and shame and mourning.

Dick lays there in the dark, holding his breath and letting it go.  Holding his body taut to stop the involuntary twitches, the shivers from adrenaline that left him before he was even conscious at all.

Another breath.  Another shudder.  Dick bears it, keeping himself impossibly still as he gets lost in his own head.  Minutes passing like hours, days, longer still.

And then - a gentle warmth pressed between his shoulder blades, startling Dick from his downward spiral of musings.  It stalls all his thoughts, pushing everything from his mind until all Dick focuses on is that tentative point of contact.  Jason’s forehead pressed to Dick’s back - Jason’s fingers holding loose to the hem of Dick’s shirt; keeping Dick from falling further.

"Thought you weren’t one for cuddling?” Dick asks.

“Who’s cuddling?” Jason grunts at him, half-asleep even as he retaliates to Dick’s teasing by pinching Dick’s calf with his toes.

[002yb]

jaybin seems like the menace, teasing type but the second dick returns the teasing (and boy everyone knows his game is STRONG) he’s nothing but a spluttering blushy mess (⁄ ⁄>⁄ ▽ ⁄<⁄ ⁄)

It’s one of those days where they need something to do, so Jason takes them out of the tower and into the city to walk the streets:  people watching, window shopping.  Mindless activity to get Dick’s attention off of everything that’s gone wrong because it’s really not all that bad - just moderately so.

Jason is just as frustrated that their pending cases are at a standstill; trails run cold and leads very much dead in a literal sense.  They were working with little evidence to begin with, but being forced to wait for more (and knowing the inherent dangers in that, how more people can get hurt and the consequences of that in itself) is a heavy burden.

Given that, Dick hasn’t been in the best of moods.  Overworked and overtired because the man is too stubborn to take care of himself until everyone and everything else has been taken care of, first.

It’s a quality of Dick that Jason simultaneously admires and wants to choke out of him, really.  Same goes for Dick’s endless, unwavering persistence.  Because it’s obvious as can be that although they’re supposed to be out taking a break and getting refreshed so that they can look at everything with a clearer head and less tension, Dick is still thinking about work.  Jason chides himself for thinking such a terrible workaholic tendency is charming and cool, but he can’t help but appreciate the fortitude.  He likes it, so what?

Even still, come the fuck on.

“Is this how you are on dates?”  The, ‘so this is why you’re single,’ goes unspoken.

The unprovoked attack catches Dick’s attention, but it’s a fleeting thing.  Distracted as Dick is, Jason thinks there could never be enough going on for Dick to not recognize a chance to torment him.  Hence:  “Is this a date?”

There’s not even a raise or crack in the sidewalk to justify how or why Jason stumbles.  He trips over his own foot from surprise and embarrassment, a scowl pulling at his face as Dick smirks down at him.

“Dick.” Jason grumbles, cheeks flushed.

“Yeah?” Dick answers, stepping closer into Jason’s space to make room for a woman with a stroller who is none-to-subtle in how she watches Dick as she passes and even after, head turned to look over her shoulder until she catches Jason scowling at her.

“Dick, derogatory.” Jason clarifies.

“It’s a nickname; affection is built in.” Dick argues, just to be contrary.  Because it’s not a nickname if you’ve made it your name, surely.

“Fine, Richard.” And Dick laughs.  A cackle that’s starting to sound more similar to Jason the more they’re together only endlessly nicer to listen to.  It makes him smile to himself, just a bit, and when the titters finally pass Jason tries again, “Give yourself a break.”

Although Dick heaves a sigh at the request, he bumps against Jason softly in an unspoken acquiesce.  Jason bumps him back, a quiet assurance that they’ll figure everything out because they will.  They’re Nightwing and Robin, for fuck’s sake.  Life hasn’t been easy on them; sometimes it feels like it actively works against them, but they’re stronger for every tribulation they overcome together.  They’re good; they work together - right here, like this.

Jason smiles to himself, content with how Dick stands close enough that their arms brush up until Dick opens that damn smart mouth of his to tease him again with a playful:  “I’ll be a more attentive date.”

Without preamble, Jason shoulder checks Dick hard enough to make him sway to the side before he’s right back where he was - arm pressed to Jason’s as he laughs at his own tormenting ways.  Jason hates that he laughs himself, too.  Only, no.  Not really.  Dick’s laughter - his humor and happiness - they’re all contagious things.  

Jason snickers, complaining as he bumps Dick again, “You’re the worst.”

It’s easy after that.  Sometimes Dick’s thoughts wander to their case, but never for long - not in that self-punishing and unproductive way from before.  Jason isn’t going to get on to him for caring either.  It’s not like Jason isn’t thinking about everything in passing, himself.  Still, he enjoys the day for what it is and that helps Dick enjoy it that much more, too.

What’s weird is that it’s normal.  They walk around.  They sit at a tea shop and talk about nothing; people watching or sharing dumb things on their phones.  Jason gets a tally going of every person that double-takes Dick as they walk by.  It’s something Dick rolls his eyes at, insistent on downplaying the facts up until one too many people actually approach him and he pointedly scoots Jason’s chair next to him with Jason still in it before resting his arm over his shoulders to deter the masses.

Jason, at least, gets a kick out of it.

“Can’t take you anywhere, huh?” He snickers.

“Apparently not.” Dick says, his laughter exasperated enough that Jason resolves to be magnanimous and spare him further torment.  Fun as it is for Dick to get his comeuppance after teasing Jason so relentlessly, they’re supposed to be decompressing.

So Jason stands and leads them along because he has an idea.  The problem is just that Dick presents himself too well.  An easy fix, in theory.

Not so much in practice.

Whatever cheeky smile Jason had been wearing drops in an instant the moment he pulls the most godforsaken ugly bucket hat over Dick’s head, a scowl taking its place because, “Okay, no.  No.  Why does it look good?”

“I look good in anything.” Dick quips.  A statement of fact, the humble bastard.

“Oh?  That a challenge?” Jason asks, objective quickly switching from dressing Dick down to dressing him full send.  He’s already casting a glance through aisle upon aisle of clothing racks - picking out the brightest and gaudiest of things (and immediately dialing that down because Jason realizes Dick can quickly turn this around on him - embarrassing Jason by association).

Dick smiles at him, a small and indulgent thing, “Sure.”

The shirt Jason grabs is hideous by anyone’s standards, but Dick maintains an easy smile and easier confidence.  Surely a lie because Jason is in emotional pain just from holding the damned monstrosity.  Just to be cheeky, he smiles.  All teeth and bite as he torments, “You seem pretty fucking confident.”

Dick raises one of his shoulders in a shrug, “Have you looked at me?”

It’s such an unexpectedly dry and sarcastic boast that Jason sputters - caught off guard and laughing all at once.  Fondness hits him in a rush, damn near overwhelming him for all the affection he feels in that moment.  Yeah, he’s looked.  He looks a lot if only to enjoy what he has while he gets to have it.

Good things like this always get taken away too soon, after all.

This is fun though.  Dick meanders while Jason makes a menace of himself. He brings Jason candles to sniff.  Swearing they smell good and laughing when Jason looks at him skeptically before smelling them and promptly crinkling his nose after.  Dick buys him a book that Jason promptly smacks him with for the title alone.  And if only because Dick actually grimaces over a grungy shirt Jason grabs because it’s something Bruce would wear, well.  The day has been a win.

The battle of dressing Dick up as a fool is his utter loss though.  Completely and utterly because the bastard is so fucking attractive that everything else becomes attractive by association.  Or maybe Jason just has good taste even when he tries not to.

Still, Jason whines under his breath because, “How the fuck?”

Dick snickers at him and looks way too cool for someone dressed as offensively as he is.  He leans against the wall of the dressing room, perfectly content even with all the lingering, captivated gazes from across the store - more tallies to accompany the others - all his attention on Jason.

“What’s my prize?” Dick asks.

Jason scoffs and is quick when he deadpans, “Being handsome.”

Dick snickers, “Wow, I’m blushing.”

He’s very much not, but Jason makes a face at him and says anyway, “Yeah, I’m sure you’d make that look good too.”

And Dick - there’s something delighted in the subtle way his expression shifts.  Fond and content and soft when he takes an over-the-top sunhat Jason had pushed at him earlier and pulls it over Jason’s head, instead.  Using the brim to pull Jason closer still.

“Not as good as you.” He tells Jason.

Jason scowls, but the orneriness there falls away into a sulk at the playful menace in Dick’s smile, the mirth in his eyes.  He reaches up to hold the brim of the hat, too.  There’s no hiding how his cheeks burn, but he can at least hide how the tips of his ears flush red.

Dick’s smile softens, always endeared when Jason’s bluster and bravado falls away to this.  Something shy and boyish and petulant and bewildered; warm and wild and wonderful, just in a different way from when Jason thinks of Dick.

“Yeah,” Dick tells him, looking over Jason’s expression.  Smile brilliant as he huffs a breath of laughter at the face Jason makes at him. “Not even close.”

And Jason - fuck.  It doesn’t matter how quick witted or smart mouthed he is; he’s left tongue-tied when confronted with Dick’s earnest affections like this.  It’s overwhelming every damn time.

And he likes it.  He likes it so damn much.

=====

And then Dick has an epiphany about the case, drags Jason into the dressing room after him because they need to talk about it immediately. Meanwhile Jason is !!! because omfg it's a one person per room limit. To which Dick calls Jason a boy scout and Jason can't even really argue because when Dick starts changing, Jason is hiding himself helplessly in a corner just aiojf;aiwejfioawej until whatever Dick found out registers to him and then it's all excitement. Then they get caught in the dressing room by a blushy employee and Jason is equally blushy because no this is a misunderstanding. And Dick, the menace, just takes Jason's hand and plays the whole thing up and Jason just about dies. //u///

Thank you for the ask, anon!! You've got taste I jive with lolol. Hopefully you don't mind some adventures of nightwing and jaybin. <3