Work Text:
Really, Tim thought, it wasn’t a problem until Dick made it one.
There was this video - some enterprising reporter (and Tim was just betting it was Lois, because who else would’ve had the good sense to let this go uncredited) had filmed an injured Batman being carried away by Superman. Flying, of course. Oh, and it was edited to be in slow motion. While A Whole New World was playing.
It was pretty funny, Tim had to admit. Sure, it didn’t quite beat that Justice League boss fight set to Mamma Mia, and yes, Tim hadn’t slept for… two days, maybe?, so his judgement wasn’t exactly to be trusted right now. But it was funny. Even Damien thought so, though the reference went right over his head and he fumed about it being “undignified” for a good three minutes.
(Really, the entire extended family just appreciated Clark’s ability and willingness to just grab an injured Bruce and carry him the fuck out of there when things got too hairy. They had just retrieved Bruce from the dead, after all. Tim was sure there would be a package of Alfred’s best cookies on the Kent's doorstep tomorrow.)
So the video was playing the cave for the fourth time now. Bruce had long since retired, smart enough to know when it was pointless to insist on his dignity. Tim had gone back to work - he did want to make it home sometime this week, thank you very much. Damien, Duke and Dick were still watching it.
Except not, because Dick was suddenly behind him, reading over his shoulders and asking: “When, exactly, did you finally watch Aladdin? Kinda thought you hated that kind of movies.”
“They’re pretty stupid,” Tim replied automatically. “And I didn’t watch it. How did you get that idea?”
“So you just happened to know all the lyrics to sing along?”
Tim mentally replayed the last few minutes in his head, and yeah, he might have been humming. Whenever he was focused, everything else (including his own actions) kind of receded into the background, but somewhere, somehow, his brain still recorded them.
Now that he was looking for it, he actually did remember hearing that song before, along with a lot of impressions by Robin Williams and some pseudo-Arabic storytelling. Still, Dick didn’t need to know that, so Tim just shrugged.
But Dick was apparently in the mood to tease Tim a bit today. “Someone making you watch it? Is it Connor?”
Tim blinked. What precisely about Kon would make him the type to watch Disney movies? “Nah, he’s not into them. It’s-“
He stopped, and the moment he did that, he knew he had screwed up, but for once he genuinely didn’t know how to continue. He still wasn’t quite back on even footing with Dick, wasn’t entirely comfortable here, but he was tired, and the atmosphere in the cave had been relaxed for once and - he didn’t know if he wanted to lie about this.
Anyway. It was too late now. He could practically see Dick put his detective hat on.
“…Who, then?” Dick grinned.
“I need to finish this report, Dick, go bother Damian.”
No use. “You’re being cagey, Tim, what’s happening? Are you in love? Found someone to watch romantic Disney movies with? Aww, to be young again…”
“Just a casual affair,” Tim said smoothly. There, that evasiveness should hurt Dick just enough to clearly signal ‘back off’.
Except Dick laughed, genuine if a bit strained, and asked: “Don’t tell me you’re sleeping with Jason.”
Tim’s fingers froze on the keyboard.
There was silence for one long, long moment.
Dick waved a hand in front of his face. Tim refused to look at it or him.
“Holy shit, that was a joke, but - Tim? Are you watching Disney movies with Jason?” Dick’s voice had gentled a bit, but he also didn’t sound as if he could believe he was saying that.
Tim couldn’t believe it, either. Of course. Of course Dick would just happen to guess the truth through a joke. What was the point of being a great detective if you could just have Dick Grayson’s intuition? Sometimes Tim hated this family so much.
He sighed. “How did you even guess that as a joke?”
“He once sang the entire opening song to Beauty and the Beast into my ear on a stakeout. Three times. Knew every line and did all the voices.”
Yeah, that sounded about right. Of course Jason would have no qualms admitting his Disney obsession if he could annoy Dick with it.
There was a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, don’t worry about, I won’t tell anyone about your true love or whatever until you’re ready.” Dick’s tone was joking, but just gentle enough that Tim knew he meant it.
Which was nice and all, but that wasn’t the part he had a problem with. He turned around, finally facing Dick. “We’re not in love.”
Dick looked at him. “Let me get this right. When, exactly, is he watching these movies with you?”
“He’s not watching them with me. Just when I’m working and he’s around.”
“So your version of a date then.”
Tim should probably be affronted by that, but looking at his track record in the last year or so, it’s not like he could offer a good counter-example. He tried a different tack. “I don’t… we’re just fucking.”
Dick winced a bit at the profanity but carried on. “He spends a lot of time at your place.”
“Yes.”
“Enough so that you barely notice what he’s doing.”
“Yes.”
“It’s totally normal that you’re working on the couch while he’s hanging out, watching Disney movies.”
…Oh.
There was a Very Patient Expression on Dick’s face. Tim really wanted to punch it.
To make matters worse, the whole conversation made another song start in his head, one where several women were telling another one that girl, don’t be proud, it’s okay - you’re in love, and just how many of these movies had Jason watched while Tim didn’t notice?
In the background, the song started again.
Somewhat predictably, there was someone in Tim’s apartment when made it home around four a.m. He wasn’t worried, though - Jason had his own code for the alarm system these days, and anyways Tim really doubted any of his villains would announce themselves by greeting him with the sounds of a kids’ movie on TV and the smell of Jason’s favourite casserole.
Tim didn’t head into the living room right away, didn’t even bother calling out a greeting yet. He had showered in the cave and changed into civvies, but he wasn’t sleeping in this suit, and he had the vague feeling that once he’d sit down, he wouldn’t get up again for at least another six hours.
When he entered the living room just wearing shorts and a t-shirt, Jason tipped his head back onto the headrest, lazily checking Tim over for any obvious injuries. Tim wasn’t quite sure why he bothered - he’d know full well, of course, that Alfred would have taken care of anything visible. Still, Jason only relaxed once he saw Tim was fine. “Hey, babybird.”
“Hey yourself.” Tim looked at the screen. He thought he knew that one. “Moana again?”
“It’s a masterpiece and you know it. You eat something?”
Tim lifted his eyebrows. “Yes, mom.”
Jason lifted one right back. “You almost passed out from low blood sugar three weeks ago.”
“Unlike you who did pass out due to multiple gunshot wounds.” Even while he was griping back Tim was sitting down beside Jason, pressing their thighs together without shame. Physical closeness was pretty normal for them these days. After all, once you’d tried to kill someone several times both literally and with some really great sex, a bit of cuddling really stopped to matter all that much. They were adopted Waynes. Of course they were pretty touch-starved, especially if their respective teams weren’t around.
Tim should probably stop thinking right now.
“How many times did you watch Aladdin here?” he asked instead. If it came out kinda accusingly, well. Sue him. It had been a long week, and anyway, Jason never seemed to care.
Jason took the question in stride. “Not that many times. It’s not my favourite, to be honest.”
Tim thought for a second. “Beauty and the Beast? Or The Lion King.”
“I can never decide,” Jason admitted sheepishly. “I take it the bats found the video?”
“Yes. I was working and Dick heard me sing along.” Tim dimly thought that he should probably be more embarrassed about how much he failed to notice when working, but he couldn’t quite muster the energy. Anyway, Jason knew that about him.
Jason grimaced in sympathy. “If it makes you feel any better, I’m already planning on dropping song lyrics into every single conversation I’ll ever have with the bat again.”
Tim used to think of Jason’s grin as slightly deranged, but now it was just. Nice to see. “Yeah?”
“Absolutely. Running after assholes? ‘A thrilling chase for you and me.’ Facing Ivy’s pollen? ‘Hold your breath - it gets better.’ He does the whole commanding ‘Understood?’ thing? ‘It’s crystal clear.’ And you can bet your ass I’ll make ‘shining, shimmering, splendid’ happen, baby.”
By the end of the list, Tim was chuckling against his will. “Catwoman’s gowns and stolen jewellery?”
“I knew I could rely on you,” Jason said happily, holding out his hand for a high five.
Tim gave him one. What even was his life.
But Jason’s smile was blinding and he pulled Tim into a hug right after, which kind of made it worth it. Tim wasn’t exactly a fragile flower, but Jason somehow managed to both surround him and make him feel as if he was the only thing worth holding on to in this life. He had always done so, even before they’d started sleeping together.
…Yeah, yeah. Tim gave up. With a small, content sigh, he relaxed into Jason’s warmth, his eyes already falling shut when Jason arranged them both so they were lying down. He wasn’t one for falling asleep quickly, even exhausted as he was, but the low vibrations of Jason’s (his boyfriend’s, apparently) chest as he hummed along with the movie made for the perfect soundtrack for dozing off.
The last thing he felt before he finally, finally fell asleep was Jason pressing a kiss into his hair.
(It was probably a good thing he didn’t hear his murmur of “Good night, princess,” though.)