Chapter Text
Bruce waffled outside the door with confusion, hand poised to knock. Was this really a good idea? If the text had come from any of his children other than Jason, he’d really be doing this a lot more carefully, but, well…Jason rarely asked for anything from him.
That morning, Bruce had received a text from the man with nothing but an address. He’d tried to ask questions, but gotten no response. Calls went straight to voicemail. He’d looked up the address, seen it was tied to this apartment building outside of crime alley, which honestly, for the location, didn’t look like a bad place. When he tracked Jason’s location via his phone, it did show as being inside this building.
That didn’t mean that this wasn’t a trap. Bruce hadn’t even known whether to wear the suit or not. He’d opted not to, because if this was some kind of a kidnapping situation, well, the text came to Bruce’s phone, so Bruce was probably who they were expecting to turn up.
At the end of the day, there’s no way Bruce wouldn’t show up, for any of his kids, just to be sure. It was still unnerving.
Just as he was about to knock, the door opened, startling the shit out of him, although he’d never admit it. All he registered was a shock of red hair. He drew back, preparing himself to be attacked, before the figure at the door tilted their head up and Bruce could see it was Roy Harper, clutching a small child. He relaxed instantly.
“Oh, good, you’re here,” Roy declared, obviously frazzled. He plopped the child down, right there in the hall. “Listen, can you watch her for a second? I just woke her up. I’ll be right back, I just need to grab our things.”
The child blinked big, sleepy eyes up at him. Based on the context clues, Bruce could assume that this was Lian Harper, although he hadn’t seen her in ages. She was small, with dark hair and gray eyes, a sweet, sleepy expression on her face. Bruce was even more confused about what was going on now, if that was possible.
“Are you Uncle Jay’s dad?” Lian asked, quietly.
Bruce nodded. “I am. You’re very smart, how did you figure that out?” Bruce asked good-naturedly.
“You look like him,” Lian said, with a childlike simplicity. Bruce’s lip quirked up in amusement, but she wasn’t done. “You smell like him too, but your scent is…stronger.”
Bruce’s heart sang, learning that Jason still carried the pack scent despite their distance thrilled his alpha. Lian walked over to him then, tugging gently on his pant leg.
“I want up,” she requested, lifting her arms out to him.
And Bruce, well..he didn’t want to step on any toes, but he wasn’t in the business of saying no to puppies, when he could help it. He bent and placed his hands under her armpits, lifting her gently.
As soon as she was situated in his arms, she wrapped her little arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder and curling in close. Bruce felt warm from the top of his head to the tip of his toes, delighting in her small snuggles and sweet milky puppy scent. It wasn’t fair that Oliver had a grandchild before he did, especially not one this cute. Bruce had more children, he should’ve been first. Roy and Dick were on the Teen Titans together, so they had to be around the same age. He should speak to Dick about this, encourage him to settle down.
On second thought, Damian would have a conniption. Maybe their pack was good as-is, for now.
“Uncle Jay was right,” Lian said softly. “You are strong.”
Bruce smiled softly to himself. “Oh, yeah? What else does he say about me?” He asked, curious.
“That you’re a bastard,” Lian declared easily, yawning. Bruce choked on a laugh. That sounded more like Jason. “And that if I’m bad, you’ll come steal me from my daddy, put me in a cape, and make me fight crime.”
And that….was concerning. “That isn’t true. He’s just messing with you. I don’t steal pups,” Bruce insisted, which wasn’t…fully accurate, but one slip-up shouldn’t count against him. “And you shouldn’t repeat language like that. Your Uncle Jay has a potty mouth.”
Lian nodded sagely. “I know, because he also told me you’re the safest alpha in the whole wide world, and that I can always trust you to protect me in an emergency.” It was said with so much conviction that Bruce wanted to sob. “Also, I’m allowed to say bad words, as long as I use them right, and I don’t say them in front of Grandpa Ollie, or at school. Daddy said so.”
Thankfully, Roy came back then, bag slung over his shoulder and holding a small pink tablet, because Bruce wasn’t sure how much more of this conversation he could handle. Roy smiled at them knowingly.
“I know she looks like one of your brood, Bruce, but you can’t have her. She still has a dad,” he teased.
“Oh, ha ha,” Bruce replied, deadpan, passing Lian back to her father and instantly missing her warmth.
“Okay. I’ve got scent neutralizers going, I plugged them in as soon as we realized, so hopefully that helps, I know you’ll be more sensitive with-“ Roy started before being cut off by his daughter.
“I want Uncle Jay,” She whined, sticking her thumb in her mouth and pushing her face into Roy’s neck.
“Honey, I told you. We’re not gonna see Uncle Jay for a little while. You and I are gonna go stay with Grandpa Ollie, and Uncle Jay’s daddy is gonna take care of him here, at our house. Okay?”
Bruce was genuinely, deeply lost now. Not that he hadn’t been the entire time, but just- “Wait, is Jason sick? Or hurt?” He asked.
Roy just blinked up at him, a confused look on his face. “Uh, he’s in heat?”
“What??” Bruce shrieked, instincts instantly flaring.
“Wait, you didn’t know?”
“No, I didn’t-I-wait, what exactly is going on here?” Bruce asked, pinching the bridge of his nose to stave off the oncoming headache.
“You’re telling me he didn’t tell you anything?” Roy asked, flabbergasted.
“No, he very much did not. I just got a text message with this address. I thought I might be walking into a trap.”
“And you still came??” Roy screeched.
“Well, yes, to make sure he-“ Bruce stopped. He didn’t need to defend his decisions, not when there were more important things to worry about. “It isn’t important. Just tell me what’s going on.”
“I can’t believe that stupid bastard didn’t tell you, he promised me he was-I- okay, hang on. Just a second.” Roy handed Lian to Bruce again, disappearing back into the apartment. Bruce had half a mind to follow him, but, well, he’d been given the chance to snuggle a puppy, and she really was sweet.
“Is Uncle Jay in trouble?” Lian asked, conspiratorially.
Bruce sighed. “I stopped being able to get him in trouble a long time ago, Lian. He likes to get me in trouble.”
Lian giggled, nuzzling at Bruce’s neck, mixing their scents together, and Bruce went very, very still. He was trying hard to ignore all the instincts screaming at him to abscond with her. Just for a little while. He would bring her back. If he hadn’t just been informed his son was in heat somewhere on the other side of that door, he probably would’ve.
Roy came back, handing Bruce a small envelope with his name on it. “Here, read this before you go in there. We’ve really got to go, he’s getting antsy. Be very careful, we’re really not sure how well this is gonna work. No sudden movements.”
Bruce nodded, looking down at the note in his hand, accepting that he probably wasn’t going to be able to figure out what was happening until he read it.
“Um, could I have my daughter back?” Roy asked, snapping Bruce’s attention back to him.
“Oh, right, sorry,” Bruce passed her over sheepishly.
“Thanks. Tell your Uncle Bruce bye, Lian.”
“Bye-bye,” she said, waving at him adorably. Bruce’s heart clenched in his chest.
“Uncle Bruce?” He questioned, acting like he wasn’t obsessed with the idea.
“Uh-huh, your sons are her uncles, so it just makes sense. Just don’t tell Ollie. Listen, text me if you need anything. I know you probably know my number, somehow.”
Bruce just grunted in response, refusing to either confirm or deny. He did, of course, know Roy’s number.
“Alright, seriously, don’t go in until you read the letter,” Roy directed as he walked down the hall with Lian, who waved over his shoulder at Bruce until they disappeared around the corner.
Bruce slid his finger under the flap, opening the envelope with a quickness. He felt stupid standing there in the hall, but Roy had seemed serious.
“Bruce,” the letter began. “If you’re reading this, it’s because I’m dead. Again. Sorry, not funny. It’s because I’m a fucking coward, and I chickened out of telling you my plan to your face, and there are things you need to know. Since coming back, my heats have been bad, dangerous. Torturous. I don’t want to do this alone anymore. I thought, maybe, I could spend it with you, before trying to introduce anyone else. I might not recognize you. I might freak out, or get violent. If I do, do NOT let me hurt you. You can bite me, if you have to. Dick and I practiced it. It’s not that bad. I didn’t tell them I was asking you to do this, I didn’t want to hurt them, but I have to make sure it’s safe first, and I trust you not to hold back on me. You can do whatever you need. Do not let anyone else around me, not until you’re positive it’s safe, and don’t let your guard down when you do. I’m dangerous, Bruce. I’m writing this with a clear head, and I’m giving you blanket permission to get in my nest and to do whatever else I ask for, or whatever you think I need, if it doesn’t put anyone else in danger, because I know you’ll worry about my consent. If you don’t want to do this, you can call Roy at any time, and we’ll go back to doing what we usually do, just don’t tell Dick. Thanks, and I’m sorry for springing this on you…-Jason.”
Bruce was overcome with emotion. He didn’t know what to feel. He was sad, and almost-hurt, maybe, that Jason thought Bruce wouldn’t hesitate to hurt him, even to subdue. That Bruce wouldn’t jump at this chance, that he’d call Roy to come back. That was definitely something they’d need to have a conversation about, at some point. But also…his son wanted to spend his heats with their pack again. Wanted to spend his heat with him, specifically. And yes, maybe it was because he was scared to hurt anyone else, but still, it meant something.
All Bruce could think was that this was really something to have sprung on you at ten AM on a Tuesday, wasn’t it? He stood by Roy’s door, hesitant. Not knowing what to expect. Then, he just barely managed to pick up a muffled keen from inside, and that was that. His son needed him.
He pushed the door open, entering slowly. Jason wasn’t anywhere he could see him immediately. The scent of the space was carefully, chemically neutral, and Bruce hated it. It was unsettling, and burned at his nose, but Roy had been smart to do it. Trying to care for a packmate in heat while being drowned in another alpha’s scent would be a nightmare. There were toys scattered around the living room, and Bruce dodged them carefully, preventing himself from disturbing anything in the space.
He assumed Jason would be wherever his nest was, and if he had to guess where the bedrooms were, they’d be in the back. He carefully made his way to the back of the apartment, where there were three doors in a hall. Two bedrooms, and a bathroom. One of the bedroom doors had a hasp and a staple for a padlock, but the lock itself was thankfully missing. Bruce had just a second to catalogue this and feel sick to his stomach about Jason’s “back-up plan”, about what he and Roy “usually do”, before a low hiss reached his ears. Jason could smell him.
“Jason. It’s me, Bruce. You’re safe. It’s just me. I’m going to open the door, okay?” The hissing settled slightly but continued, and there was no verbal response to reassure him. Still, he wouldn’t know until he tried. He pulled the door open, holding his hands up, and was finally hit with his son’s scent instead of the chemical neutralizers, confirming that his heat had fully set in.
Jason stalked the room, a crazed look in his eye, clearly agitated, teeth bared back in a snarl. His head snapped to Bruce, and he settled into a defensive stance.
“Hey! Hey, easy, buddy. I’m not gonna hurt you. I promise. It’s just me. You’re safe,” Bruce reassured, still holding his hands up and making himself as small as possible.
Jason sniffed deeply, and some recognition seemed to flicker across his face. He dropped to the floor, whining. Bruce tried to come closer, but he snapped his head up and hissed again.
“Okay, alright. Don’t come closer. I hear you, Omega. I’m just going to sit right here, would that be okay?”
Jason appeared to consider it, before giving the tiniest nod. Bruce sank down, relieved. Alright, baby steps. He could do this. He kept his posture loose, non-threatening, sitting across the floor from his son. Jason looked pained, and it broke his heart.
“Are you okay, Omega? Is there anything I can do for you?” He offered, gently.
Jason whined, backing away slightly.
Okay, too fast. Let him come to you. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’ll stay right here. You come to me if you need something, okay?”
Jason whimpered, crumpling in on himself, and every part of Bruce was screaming at him to run for him, to gather him up in his arms, but that would ruin everything. Jason had to feel ready.
“I’m here whenever you need.” He reassured, settling back to watch Jason carefully. Bruce felt for their bond, wondering if he could use that, but it was completely silent, heavily blocked off. He tried to use his scent to project calm, protective alpha, but was worried about overdoing it, making Jason nervous. Jason looked miserable. It hurt like a hot rod pressed against his ribs to watch any of his kids suffer, but this was exponentially worse.
“Alpha,” Jason muttered, looking up at Bruce pleadingly.
“Yes. I’m here. Do you want to come see me?”
Jason shook his head aggressively. “Stay,” he whined.
“I’m staying right here. I’m not going anywhere. You’re safe, Jason.” Bruce waited to see if Jason would say more, but he didn’t. Just started whimpering uncomfortably, rocking back and forth. The agitated behaviors were killing Bruce, but he said nothing until Jason started scratching at his arms in distress.
“Jason,” Bruce spoke low, keeping his voice calming, “don’t do that, sweetheart. I know you’re uncomfortable, but you can’t hurt yourself.”
Jason whimpered, once, short and cut off, but he stopped, instead digging his nails into the carpet. It seemed to ground him a bit, so Bruce let him. Eventually, Jason seemed to settle enough to stand up, and Bruce’s heart leapt as he thought he might come to him, but he didn’t. He did, however, apparently feel comfortable enough to turn his back on Bruce, because he went to his bed.
Bruce watched as Jason started constructing a nest, pride emanating from deep in his chest. He’d be fine if this was the closest Jason let him his entire heat, if he just curled up in the nest and let Bruce stand guard. He could live with that, hell, he’d be glad to do it. He wasn’t really sure how effectively he could take care of Jason like this, especially without Alfred to take care of food, but, well, he’d take what he could get.
Eventually, he would need to call the Manor, come up with some story to explain to Alfred that he wasn’t coming home for a few days. Jason had been very adamant about just Bruce until he knew it was safe, and he knew that if his other pups found out about Jason being in heat and Bruce heat-sitting, they’d show up. No matter what Bruce said, one hundred percent, no questions about it, especially Dick.
Bruce seriously doubted that Jason would do anything to hurt his siblings, he honestly felt like they would help him a lot, he was more comfortable with them than with him. That hurt, still cut deep, but he understood. He’d made many mistakes in his life, many mistakes with his children, but he was trying to be better. He felt like he and Jason were making progress, and he supposed this was proof of that. He didn’t want to break Jason’s trust, so he’d do his due diligence of making sure it was safe before involving anyone else. Jason finished the nest, stepping back and examining it.
“That’s a very good nest, Chum. You did a nice job,” Bruce said, and smiled to himself as he watched Jason preen.
“Alpha. In.” Jason pointed to the nest intently.
“Why don’t you get in the nest, Jason? You made it so comfy. Wouldn’t that be nice? I’m good here,” Bruce tried to reason.
Jason snarled aggressively, and Bruce wondered where he had gone wrong. “In, TOGETHER,” Jason insisted.
Oh. Okay. Yeah, right. Together. Sure, that was fine, Bruce could do that. His heart wasn’t soaring higher than it had since before Jason died and came back with a rejection on his lips, or anything. “You want to get in your nest together, Jay? Are you sure?”
Jason snarled again, then stalked up to Bruce. Bruce froze, not wanting to startle the man. Jason wrapped his hand around Bruce’s wrist and tugged. Bruce went easily, considering briefly that this really had been a kidnapping plot, and he was under the influence of some strange new drug. No matter, he would die before trying to shatter this illusion, if that indeed was what it was. Jason led him gently, snarling and snappish though he was, to the side of the bed, then stood there staring at him like he was waiting.
“Okay. I’m gonna get in…” Bruce said, pausing to give Jason a chance to change his mind. He just continued to stare, so Bruce kicked his shoes off and slowly climbed in, telegraphing every movement. Once he was settled, he turned and looked at his son, who was still just staring. “This is very nice. Do you want to get in too, Jay?” Bruce asked, gently.
A look of mild distress crossed Jason’s face, but it was quickly replaced by deep longing.
“Jason. I’m your alpha, your dad. You’re safe with me, I promise.” This seemed to work, as Jason finally climbed into the nest, settling on the opposite side of Bruce, just watching him with those big, fearful eyes. “Good job, Chum. You’re doing so well, I’m very proud of you,” Bruce stated, a rumble working its way out from his chest. The noise seemed to change something in Jason because suddenly, he was quickly wiggling towards Bruce, resting his head near his chest so he could feel it. The tension melted out of his body, and Bruce just tried not to break. “You can come closer, Chum. It’s alright.”
Jason wriggled the rest of the way over, fully lying on Bruce’s chest with a little shudder.
“Very good. Can I scent you?” Bruce asked, pushing his luck.
Jason nodded, quick and brief, more of a single movement of the head, but Bruce took it. He ran his wrist from Jason’s jaw down his neck, Jason truly becoming putty in his hands. He was warm, but not concerningly so. Bruce wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to stop worrying about his kids' temperatures when they were in heat or rut again, not after Tim’s terrible ordeal. He repeated the motion a few times, until Jason whimpered.
“Please,” Jason said.
“Please, what?” Bruce asked, pausing his movements in case Jason wanted him to stop.
“Please don’t leave,” Jason muttered, pressing his face into Bruce’s neck. “Tired.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Jay. You can sleep,” Bruce promised, bringing his hand up to Jason’s hair at the back of his head and stroking it the way he had liked in the heats they had gotten to spend together. Within ten minutes, Jason was asleep.
/|\ ^._.^ /|\
“Huh, thought so,” Dick mused, staring up at the computer in the med bay. Tim sat next to him on the cot, a scowl on his face, and gauze pressed to his arm where Dick had taken the blood sample that had just finished analyzing. Dick had been needling him into letting him check for days, finally saying he’d get Bruce involved if he didn’t.
“What, that I’m perfectly fine?” Tim snarked.
“Nope,” Dick said, popping the “p” with self-satisfaction, unthinking about how that would sound.
“What?” Tim asked, anxiety spiking in his voice.
“Oh, fuck. No, I’m sorry. You’re okay, you’re not like, dying or anything,” Dick rushed to reassure.
“Then what?” Tim scoffed, giving Dick a dirty look for scaring him.
“It’s your hormones. They’re out of whack again,” Dick told him, and at the look of worry on his face, he quickly clarified. “Not dangerously so, this time. It would take a pretty big trigger to get them there again, like presenting was, but one of the omega sex hormones is pretty high. Another is a little low. I think it might be tied to a hormone disorder.”
“You’re seriously telling me that first I presented late, and now I’ve got some kind of hormone disorder? That’s bullshit,” Tim whined childishly, removing the gauze from his arm and tossing it aside to be incinerated later.
“I mean, technically, the late presentation is tied to the hormone disorder. I’m not a doctor, but you’ve definitely bought yourself a trip to Leslie’s!” Dick chirped, trying to lighten Tim’s mood a bit but very obviously having the exact opposite effect as Tim scowled at him. “If I’m right and that’s what this is, there are treatments, medications, Tim. You’ll be right as rain in no time,” he soothed.
“What are the symptoms?” Tim asked,
resignedly.
“The one that’s low, that can cause anxiety, depression, more mental type effects…” Dick started.
“Well I don’t have any of those,” Tim cut him off. “So maybe I’m fine.”
Dick gave him a look, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, no more than usual,” Tim amended.
Dick rolled his eyes. “The normal amount is none, Timmy. Now, the high one..that’s got a whole slew of physical symptoms, many of them also tied to a late presentation. Lack of appetite, fatigue, insomnia, stomach pain, chills…any of that sound familiar?”
Tim just scowled at him.
“And, it can also cause…” Dick started to read directly from the computer's display, “‘a strong, trance-like reaction to high levels of alpha pheromones’, which, if you’ll remember, is exactly what I was worried about, for the record.”
“It was fine, Dick. I wasn’t in a trance. Just..hazy,” Tim insisted, rolling his eyes.
“Do you remember it?”
“What?”
“That day, the time in between me biting Jason and Jason’s nightmare. Do you remember it?”
“Well, no, but-“
“So then I was the only lucid one there to remember, and I’m telling you, it was odd.”
Tim flinched, hard, and Dick instantly realized his mistake.
“I don’t mean-“
“It’s fine.” Tim cut off, breath coming fast.
“You weren’t odd. Just the situation. You were fine.”
“I said it’s fine,” Tim snapped.
Dick sighed, deciding to drop it before he agitated Tim into a fight. “Well, you’re not patrolling with this,” he said, gesturing at the computer. Which, in hindsight, wasn’t the best way to avoid a fight.
“That’s ridiculous. I’ll be fine, I’m perfectly functional. I can wear a respirator, like Jason does,” Tim insisted, but Dick still didn’t feel comfortable.
Dick sighed, shifting. “I don’t feel comfortable letting you out until Leslie clears you.”
Tim jumped up to his feet, irritation clearly wound tight around his body. “You don’t get to bench me, you can’t make that call!” He shouted, jabbing a finger at Dick. “You’re not Batman, not this time.”
And that stung, probably more than Tim had meant it to, but Dick pushed it down, knowing what Tim was going through. “Well, I’m telling Bruce all of this, obviously.”
Tim looked at him in shock, eyes wide with betrayal. “This isn’t fair! I didn’t ask for this!”
Dick’s heart broke, and he stepped closer to his little brother, holding his arms out for him. “Oh, Tim. Come here. You’re alright, this could have an easy solution, we don’t know-“
As soon as Dick got close enough to wrap Tim in his arms, Tim snapped, lashing out and shoving Dick’s arms down and away from him. “Stop! Stop treating me like a fucking baby. You always do this. I’m grown, I’m a vigilante, I am competent! Being an omega doesn’t change that! I don’t need this! I don’t need you!” Tim’s voice had continuously risen, until he was screaming the last words, immediately fleeing from the makeshift room afterwards.
Dick could hear him stomping through the cave, the bats stirring in his wake until he was angrily stomping up the stairs. Dick’s first instinct was to go after him, but he decided it was probably best for them both to have space right now, before anyone said something worse that they would regret.
Dick was hurt, of course he was, but Tim’s outburst wasn’t unwarranted. Dick did baby Tim, he knew he did, and it was fully intentional, but it wasn’t about him being an omega. When he’d first met Tim, the kid’s hyper independence had really freaked him out. His physical needs were mostly covered, his parents spent a fortune keeping him in the best boarding schools, but he was used to not having any adults caring for his emotional needs. He did everything on his own, and he was proud of it. Bruce had been all too ready to take advantage of this independence, pushing him harder in training and on the field than a Robin had ever been pushed, determined to ensure his absolute safety, but neglecting as much emotional care, the reassurances that he and Jason had been granted. After Jason, Bruce just didn’t have it in him, and Tim wasn’t asking. Dick wasn’t going to stand for that.
Any time Dick had tried to help Tim at first, he’d snap, always insisting he could do it himself, that he didn’t need help. That he had to prove himself. That was the part that scared Dick the most, the fear that Tim felt he had to be good enough to “earn” someone’s care. So he’d kept pushing, aggressively babying the kid, watching the way he seemed to melt under it before he would fight back. Once he’d really broken Tim’s shell, gotten through to him, he’d absolutely flourished under Dick’s affection. Truly, he responded to being babied incredibly well, seemed to recognize Dick wasn’t being condescending, especially since he was the only one who ever really treated Tim like the kid he was, while still respecting him as the vigilante he’d become. Even when he got bratty about it, it felt like more of a token struggle, just trying to show that the kid who wanted to do everything for himself was still down there, and he’d give in to Dick quickly.
Dick could admit that he had gotten more intense since Tim presented. Especially since almost losing him. Now, there was a heavy level of instinct involved in it, a desire to keep his omega packmate safe and care for his every need. He could recognize, that with the circumstances, it was maybe a little too much, and maybe Tim needed some of that independence back. Dick had perhaps, been overbearing. He decided that for the time being, he would give Tim space to calm down, because this would require more conversation, and he wanted them both to be level-headed.
In the meantime, he shot Bruce a text, letting him know they needed to talk. Idly, he wondered where the man had gone off too.
/|\ ^._.^ /|\
Bruce clutched Jason to his chest, rumbling deeply and allowing himself to project safe, mine, protect, son through the room, now that he was fairly certain Jason wouldn’t react poorly, seemed to be comforted by the more alpha actions he showed, as long as he was careful and didn’t move too fast.
Jason woke with a gasp, stirring against Bruce’s chest. Bruce’s arms tightened on instinct, and Jason froze. Bruce loosened his arms instantly. Jason lifted his head up, blinking at Bruce in surprise. His eyes seemed clearer.
“Bruce,” he mumbled, but he didn’t rush to pull away.
“Hey, Jay. Your head a little clearer now?” Bruce asked. He raised his hand to Jason’s hair, slightly hesitant now that Jason seemed more present, but he leaned into the hand, and Bruce ruffled his hair.
“Yeah,” he sighed. “Still sucks, but it’s better. Did I….” Jason trailed off, licking his lips. “Did I hurt you?”
“No, Jason. You didn’t even try,” Bruce reassured.
“Really?” Jason looked at him, hopeful. “I, ah, wasn’t sure I’d recognize you.”
“I think you did, at least on some level. You were pretty nervous at first, but, well, here we are. How are you feeling?”
“I….” Jason’s face crumbled then, and tears gathered in his eyes. Panic spiked in Bruce’s chest, he hadn’t seen Jason cry in years, and he was ill-equipped to handle it now. “I’m being selfish.”
“You’re not,” Bruce instantly reassured. “Even if you were, that’s allowed right now.” He cradled Jason’s face in his hands, but Jason pulled away, tucking his head under Bruce’s chin.
“No I-“ Jason whimpered. “I am, because I have you, and it’s so much fucking nicer than any heat I’ve had since the pit, and this was my own idea but-“ his breath hitched, “but now that I know I probably won’t go crazy, I just, I want to go home,” he wailed.
Bruce’s heart stuttered in his chest, he couldn’t remember the last time Jason had called the Manor home. “You do?” He asked, gently.
“I do. I want the Manor, I want Alfred, I want Dickie and Tim, and I-I even want Damian,” he cried, snuffling into Bruce’s chest.
Bruce was weak to his children’s whims, maybe, but he truly, deeply believed that it would be okay, and if Jason wanted to go home to the Manor, well, it would be best to do it when his head was level. “Okay, Jason. Let’s get you home then, buddy,” Bruce said, easily, pressing a kiss into Jason’s forehead.
“Really? We can? You’re sure It’s safe?” Jason pulled away to ask, fragile hope on his face.
Bruce nodded. “Yes. I’ll take care of everything, you don’t need to worry,” he reassured.
Jason took a shaky breath. “Okay. Let’s go home.”