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Whoever was in the town house they're currently staying at, they set off no alarms. Jason only knew someone was there because they could hear Green Day playing on their stereo. Neither Jason nor Slade listen to Green Day, and as far as they knew, they weren't due for a visit from any of the kids anytime soon. (Jason should probably stop grouping all five of them together as “the kids” as Grant and Joey are both older than him, and Rose is only about three years behind him, but oh well he doesn't care.)
Slade insisted on stepping in first, which Jason supposes he doesn't have too much of a problem with, it's not like Jason can heal a wound nearly as fast as him, and anyways, Jason's used to being “the strong one” sometimes it's nice to let someone else take that role (though he would never admit it). Jason wasn't really sure what he expected to see from his vantage point of peeking over his shoulder with a red gripped pistol held out by Slade's waist, but it certainly wasn't Tim Drake sitting on his couch, eating his chips, and reading his prized copy of Pride and Prejudice (full of annotations made from the age of 13 all the way up to the present day of 24).
“You know Jay, if I only knew you as the red hood, I never would have guessed that you would enjoy doing such deep dives into Jane Austen.” Tim said, while not looking up from Jason's book.
Jason stepped from around Slade, lowering his gun, and tossing his duffel bag of gear onto the floor by the door. “Put down my shit Timberlina, or I'm shooting you in the face.” Tim didn't seem to care as he simply kept flipping through pages.
Slade sighed as he set his own duffel down, dropped the twin pistols he was holding onto the kitchen island, and walked towards the stereo to cut Tim's shit music off. “Id listen to him birdy, tonight wasn't a rubber bullet kind of night.” He seemed to take that seriously as he set the book down on the coffee table.
“Is that where you found that Timmers? Because I don't recall leaving it there.” Tim groaned as he got up to put it on the bookshelf by the window. “So what are you doing in our safe house at,” Jason glanced backwards to the stove clock, “Five in the morning? And how did you know where we were staying anyways?”
“I have my ways,” He answered with a wicked grin, “And I came to give you something.” Tim stood from the couch and picked up a little black rectangle-ish bag off the floor with a zipper that ran along three of its four sides. Tim strided to the kitchen island as if he owned the place and took a seat on one of the bar stools.
“You came all the way from Bristol to Robbinsville just to give me a gift? I don't believe that, what's going on?” Jason said as he took the seat across from Tim. Slade was quick to take a seat on Jason's right.
“Has Dick told you about my “stalker era”?”
“Me and Dick don't talk much these days.”
“Well when I was a kid, I didn't have a lot of adult supervision, and I was obsessed with Batman and Robin.” Jason held back a snort, the kid seemed to be trying to have a serious conversation. “Im guessing no one told you that I figured out who you guys were before I'd ever met any of you in person?” Jason almost didn't believe him, but then he thought about how Ra’s talked about him, how he was such a “genius detective”, and Ra’s doesn't give out praise lightly. Maybe Timmy wasn't bullshitting him.
“No, I didn't know that either.”
“Well, back when it was just a theory, I needed some evidence to prove it, so I’d follow you and B around the city,-” Jason slammed both hands on top of the counter top.
“You fucking what? Across rooftops? During deadly fights? You just decided to tag along from a distance?” Jason needed to find this kid's parents and have a nice long chat. He's what, 19 now? So when Jason became Robin he would have been around 7 years old. Yea, this is not okay.
“Yea, yea, I know. You're about 5 years too late for a lecture, I've already heard it all from B, Dick, and Alfred.” Knowing that he's already received an Alfred Lecture actually made Jason feel a little bit better. There's no way to go through an entire Alfred Lecture and not reflect at least a little bit on your actions.
Tim must have seen on Jason's face that the news soothed him because he decided to continue. “So anyways, during these little tag alongs, I used to take a lot of pictures, and a month or so ago I was going through all my old photos, and I thought maybe you'd like to have some. I thought about dropping them off at your door with no explanation, but I figured you would take childhood photos of your vigilantism that no one should have seen, let alone take pictures of, left on your doorstep with no note as a threat.” That was fair, both Jason and Slade would not have taken kindly to that.
“Then I thought about leaving a note that said “From: Tim” or something like that on it, but I guessed that at the time you would have immediately thrown away anything from me.” This also true, Jason could see why Ra’s was always referring to this guy as “detective”.
“So ultimately I decided to wait until B or Dick managed to bring you back into the family to give them to you. I didn't expect Damian to be your link back to us but whatever, here you go.” He slid whatever was in his hand across to Jason and Slade. Jason was disgusted at what he saw, not the photos themselves, but the fact that little Timmy was there to take them.
“I didn’t let Clark get this close to me until about a year into being Robin,” Jason said as held up a photo of himself in full Robin gear standing next to Clark and Bruce, both also suited up. They were on a rooftop, it must have been after a fight because both Jason and B look exhausted and Clark has that signature Clark look that means he wants to carry everyone home and bundle them in blankets. “So I would have been at least thirteen, making you what? Eight?” Tim had a defiant look on his face. Like he hadn't slept in three days and could tell that someone was about to send him to bed.
“Damian was going on missions with you guys at eight,-” Slade cut him off before Jason got the chance.
“Damian was raised by the league of assassins, he was grown in a lab to be a perfect warrior, his first kill was at four years old, by the time he was seven he knew over 200 ways to kill someone twice his size, he was, and is, in every way, prepared for all situations, and even then he still had back up. Adult backup.” Neither Tim nor Jason expected Slade to interrupt him, though Jason certainly wasn't complaining. He couldn't have said it better himself.
“We’re not trying to lecture you Timmers, we’re just saying that you and Damian aren't comparable. Weren't you raised by Gotham socialites? It's not like you were born with a sword in your hand.” Tim seemed thoroughly lectured, but Jason didn't particularly care. He could have died doing this shit. Jason decided not to dwell on the fact that when he came back he was ready to kill the kid just to send a message.
Jason chose instead to keep flipping through the photos. The next in the album was a photo of B walking around Gotham with a suspiciously lumpy cape. Jason was a little worried he was going to let a tear slip in front of Tim.
“In case you're wondering, I could hear you snoring under there that night.” Tim so helpfully added.
“That's you?” Slade asked incredulously as he pointed at Bruce's cape. “He carried you around in the cape while you slept?”
“Only if it was a slow night and I fell asleep leaned against him on a rooftop. He must have been taking me to the batmobile so we could go home for the night. This is a one in a million shot. How often did you follow us around?” Jason asked, looking up at Tim.
Tim stood from his spot at the bar stool. “Im gonna head home. It's late, you keep that,” he gestured to the album in Jason's hand, “Later Jay, Slade, you guys have a good night,” his eyes darted to the stove clock reading 5:26am, “or uh, day I guess.” and then he just grappled out the window. Jason didn’t care enough to call after him. He simply pulled out his phone and sent a quick text.
To: Impersonator
“We WILL be talking about this later”
Jason needed to change Timmy's contact name. Impersonator’s a little harsh, and he hasn't really felt that way since he first got back to Gotham. He had other things to worry about right now though. Slade put his head on Jason's shoulder as he flipped to the next photo. It was Jason on aunt Di’s shoulder. She had one arm by her side and the other held up like she was flexing. Jason was perched on the posed bicep, and even though the angle was awkward and the lighting was spotty, there was no denying the huge grin on his face. In the background it looked like Bruce and Clark were having some kind of serious discussion, but it didn't take away from the joy on Jason and Diana's faces. Although his Robin mask was on, and he couldn't see them through the white lenses, Jason couldn't help but think about how blue his eyes used to be.
“You never really talk about her,” Slade spoke quietly over his shoulder, his hand going to Jason's thigh in a comforting hold, “you never really talk about anyone you cared about as a kid.” Jason took a deep breath before replying.
“She reminded me of my mom. Not Sheila, but my real mom. Catherine. They didn't really look alike, besides their dark hair, and Catherine was way shorter than her. But they both had this strength to them, like they always would, and always could, keep you safe. It was the same with Selina.” Jason's voice began to quiver, talking about the past always did that to him. The childhood he never got to finish, the life cut short. Jason didn't mind the crying though, not in front of Slade at least. It's better than the numbness he felt the first year and a half out of the pit.
“You don't have to tell me if you don't want to Jay, I just want you to know you can.” God, Jason loves this man.
“No, it's okay. I know all of your history, I want you to know mine too.” Slade wiped the solitary tear that managed to escape his face.
“Here, come sit on the couch with me.” Jason stood to follow Slade. He sat down flush with the arm of the couch, and Jason double checked that the window locked behind Tim before curling into him. His legs were tucked under him, both knees pressed against one of his thighs, and his head resting against his shoulder.
“Are you sure you're up for listening to me yap about my childhood while we flip through old photos?” He asked, holding up the photo album, still flipped to him and aunt Di.
“Jay if you wanna tell it, then I wanna hear it.” Slade answered with a kiss to the top of his head. Jason shrugged as he flipped to the next page, like this didn't mean everything to him.
The next photo was of him and Selina. Bruce was nowhere in sight and Selina's front wasn't even visible. The two of them were standing by this box on the sidewalk, the words “free kittens” scrawled on the side. Her back was to the camera and Jason was facing it. He had a kitten in his arms and it looked like Selina was correcting the way he held it. Even with the domino mask there was no mistaking the love on his face as he looked up at her.
“The only male influence I really had as a kid was Willis, and he fucking sucked, so I didnt adjust well to going from the streets to being stuck in a house, as big as it may be, with two men. I had a hard time trusting it. I was always convinced B was gonna come in my room at night, or I’d do something to piss him off and he’d beat the shit out of me. Selina was the first one I connected to after B took me in.” What Jason neglected to mention was that he had already met Selina, before being adopted, on a street corner waiting for any nice car with any not so nice man to cruise by. That could be a story for another time. Slade put his arm around Jason's shoulders, and Jason sank deeper into his hold.
The next photo was of Jason hugging Dick around the waist. His head barely comes up to Dicks chest, and it looks like he's trying to melt into Dicks body. Dick looks pleasantly shocked, as he hesitantly holds him back. Bruce is in the background, sporting a fond grin that Jason rarely sees these days.
“I didn't realize the two of you were ever that close.” Slade said into Jason's curls.
“I never had a sibling before. I thought Dick could be my cool older brother, not some grown man to hurt me, but someone to stick up for me if one tried.” Jason let out a sad, almost wet laugh, “We got pretty close that last year before, you know, everything.” Slade's arm tightened around his shoulders. “You know I used to wait for him by the door, at the bottom of the stairs, on Sundays. Back then, he and B were always fighting so half the time when Dick did get an official invitation to dinner, he wouldn't give a concrete answer. But I didn't care if no one knew if he was coming or not. I’d wait anyways.”
“You should reach out kid, try to get your brother back.” Slade sounded a lot like Jason did when he told him to try reaching out to his kids.
Jason let out another wet laugh, “Yea, maybe I should.”
He flipped to the next page. “Okay, rooftops and sidewalks I can mostly understand, but how in the hell was there an eight or nine year old in the bushes of Wayne Manor snapping photos and no one noticed? Look, even Clark is in this one, you’d think that enhanced hearing would help him.” The photo was of the living room closest to the family dining room. Jason, Dick, Bruce, Clark, and Diana are all sitting around the coffee table. There's what looks like case files sitting out in front of them, which makes sense. Dick wouldn't have been hanging out at the manor without a reason at this time. He probably was helping them with this case. Jason is sat between Dick and Diana, with Clark on Dicks other side, and B next to Diana. Jason appears to be sound asleep against Diana's shoulder. He wasn't on this case for sure. B probably only even let him sit with them during a work discussion because Dick and Diana were there, and Jason wouldn't have been negotiating on getting to stay.
“You were so small as a kid.” Slade said into his hair.
“Yea, Alfie and Bruce didn't think I’d ever make it past 5’4. I was five feet tall when I died. Alfie thinks it was from “malnutrition during my developmental years”. When I came out the pit I was this six foot monster. I kept bumping my head into shit, it was an awful adjustment.” Slade laughed, and for a moment Jason felt like it would all be okay. Someday he would stop mourning the life he could have had. The childhood he could have had. Someday old photos won't make him want to crawl into a hole and stay there forever. Today's not that day though, and the moment passed quickly.
Jason flipped to the next page and promptly burst into sobs. He buried his head into Slade's chest, dropping the photo album on the floor. Slade pulled him into his lap, scooting them both over a few inches so Jason had room to straddle him.
It was Roy, Jason, Dick, and Kori. Jason was leaning into Dicks side, Dick and Kori seemed to be having some kind of conversation and it looked like Roy was saying something to piss Jason off. Jason was a few years younger than them, so he always looked a little silly next to the rest of the titans, but at the time he couldn't have cared less. They were all so idolized in his little 13 year old mind. They weren't even that much older than him, but to Jason they were all practically adults.
“I’m so sorry sweetheart.” He whispered into Jason's hair as he ran his hands across the span of Jason's back.
“I miss him so much Slade, it feels like there's a hole in my chest, and I don't even know if he's okay, or where he is, or how he's doing,” Jason was cut off by his own sobs wracking his body. Slade gently shh-ed him as Jason's tears left a huge mark across the front of Slade's compression shirt.
“I wanna frame that one.” He mumbled through tears into Slade's chest.
“Are you sure? I don't want you to feel like this every time you walk through one of our safe houses.” Slade was making a good point, but Jason didn't care. He felt sick as he realized he couldn't remember the last time he thought about Roy. He didn't ever want to forget that face, no matter how shitty it made him feel. Jason nodded vehemently against Slade.
“Okay baby, we’ll frame it and put it up.” Slade now had one hand in his hair, the other making circles across his back.
“And I don't want it in one of the safehouses, I want it here, in the townhouse.” The townhouse in Robbinsville is where they spent the most time when in Gotham. It's the only of their “properties” that have enough room to comfortably house all the kids, and it's also Jason's favorite, which makes it Slade's favorite.
“Then that's where it’ll go.” Jason hummed into Slade's chest. He was still crying pretty hard, but this wasn't a terrible way to cry. Bundled up in the arms of the person he loves isn't so bad, even if it is for a shitty reason.
“Do you wanna look at more pictures or are you ready to go to bed?” Slade whispered into his hair.
“Go to bed,” Jason mumbled.
Slade stood with perfect ease. Both hands wrapped around Jason's thighs to keep him steady. His legs were locked around Slade's waist and his arms had a death grip around his neck. By the time Slade made it up the stairs to their bedroom Jason was already asleep.