#the fun part about tim is that he made grown ass decisions at a little ass age that literally everyone told him would turn out bad

[bigskydreaming]

My kingdom for a fic where Dick just full on ignores the fuck out of every reservation, concern and condemnation Bruce has about Jason and his choices after his return, because like this is his brother, the only family member that’s ever come BACK from the dead after Dick’s lost them, and he’s not about to let anything get in the way of that, thanks. 

(But also in this AU Jason didn’t almost kill Tim, because that’s the one thing Dick wouldn’t easily be able to look past or forgive and still be in character, even for the sake of another brother, and its crazy to me that it doesn’t come up more as Dick being like, hey Jaybird, you are Valid for a lot of what you feel and are doing but you were NOT Valid for almost killing Timmy and I can be and am quite rightfully peeved at you for that like wtf bro).

Right, so here, Jason doesn’t do that, and literally everything else he does Dick is more than capable and willing to shrug and go oh is that it? And then blithely resume having a relationship with his little brother wherein they hang out and have movie nights and be obnoxiously competitive, with not a single fuck given about anyone else’s feelings that Dick should not be doing this. 

Meanwhile, the vein in Bruce’s forehead has grown so large its evolved its own consciousness and identity, its name is Vinnie, Vinnie the Vein, and Bruce and Vinnie are of one mind when they’re like “Richard John Grayson, I FORBID you from shenaniganning with your wayward brother until he has ceased his murder sprees.”

And Dick’s just like can’t stop, won’t stop, anyway love to stay and chat but I promised Jay I’d meet him in half an hour and I’m already running late, gotta go love ya lots, byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye.

Eventually Bruce really tries to put his foot down because its highly unlikely Jason will come in from the cold on Bruce’s terms if Dick keeps ‘enabling’ his brother, mostly because Jason’s not really out IN the cold in the first place as long as the brothers are hanging out, as they do, having a perfectly chill familial relationship whilst waiting for their father to get the hell over himself and also unclench long enough for Timbers to escape the inexorable magnetic pull that is Bruce’s Aura of Contagious Paranoia, and like...come join them on their brotherly outings, it’ll be fun.

And finally Bruce is all, Dick, you realize your brother is killing people, right? And Dick serenely is just like: “Oh is that what all the fuss is about? Gee, I thought it was all just a fight about the proper pronunciation of ‘gif.’ You know how out of control those can get. No shit Jason’s killing people. I’m aware. Also, I don’t care.”

Before Bruce can finish firing up his Righteous Indignation and Judgment and jump in there, Dick continues, ticking points off his fingers one at a time.

“One of my best friends is literally the daughter of Evil, and has on occasions, plural, been evil herself. I couldn’t care less. One of my best friends has a daughter with an internationally infamous assassin who has definitely tried to kill me multiple times, with this quite probably being a violation of some kind of Bro Code. I couldn’t care less. One of my best friends was possessed by evil spirits and did tons of terrible things right before he died and I couldn’t care less when visiting his grave, nor do I care that his dad, an even more internationally infamous assassin than Roy’s baby mama, and who has DEFINITELY tried to kill me multiple times, does lots of terrible things on the regular, both before and after we meet up for coffee every now and then to reminisce about Joey.” 

He comes up for air, refuels his tank, keeps going.

“One of my teammates is an identical duplicate of the former teammate who betrayed us all and almost got us all killed. Its weird and awkward but we make it work. Another one of my teammates was a killer robot that previously murdered one of my dearest friends. SUPER fucking awkward, but again, we made it work. Other things I give no fucks about: the rap sheets of any of my teammates on the Outsiders, the rap sheet of one of your star-crossed lovers, the body count of your other star-crossed lover. I mean sure, I’m a snarky asshole about it, but I’m a snarky asshole about butter pecan pie too. I don’t like, care care. Not like the way you cared about Huntress’ unwholesome methods before I was her booty call, and yet that too played no part in my decision making before I let her hit this. Half of your teammates decided to treat your memory like an Etch-a-Sketch once, but somehow you all managed to make nice again, but not until after the invasive spy satellite you made got hijacked and unleashed an army of killer robots that definitely did kill a metric fuck ton of people. Major Disaster and multiple other Justice Leaguers have done some Very Bad Things, Diana snapped a guy’s neck on candid camera and still isn’t sorry, you play chess every once and a while with a guy who spends half his time as a millennia old demon who has eaten entire fucking civilizations, and do not even get me started on Hal Jordan. Are you starting to see a point here, B?”

Bruce says nothing, but Vinnie the Vein has a shit poker face. Dick sighs.

“And you know what all of those people have in common, Bruce?”

Bruce bites. “What’s that?”

“None of them are my goddamn brother. So if I can figure out a way to coexist in the same sphere as all of that insanely hot mess, I can figure out a way to coexist with my brother, so long as I know and trust he’s still fighting the good fight. Which I do. Do I like that he kills people? No. Does he know that? Yes. Do we fight about it? Occasionally. But know who I’m not gonna let be the reason me and my miraculously back from the dead brother don’t meet up for Taco Tuesday night? A bunch of murderers and rapists, because I wish they were sitting in Cell Block D for the next sixty years instead of dead. End of the day, their lives just aren’t as important to me as my little brother’s, and that may make me all kinds of hypocritical, but I’ll give you three guesses what’s another thing I don’t give a shit about. Now you can go home and spend the night hanging out with your moral convictions, but if you don’t mind, I’d rather spend it hanging out with Jay. And if we’re all done here, buh-bye, I’m late and I wouldn’t want Jay to think I flaked and wasn’t coming, who knows, he might go out and kill people instead.”

And eventually Bruce too pulls his head out of his ass because he can be Unconditionally Moral or he can be Unconditionally Dad but he can’t unconditionally be both, and this was kinda a choice he was supposed to have made back when he first signed on the dotted line that supposedly meant his kids would no longer be pinballing through life looking for someone to unconditionally love and support them, because he was volunteering as tribute to do just that.

And finally Bruce makes nice, or at least actively less hostile, baby steps are sometimes required with superhero cryptid shaped a-holes, and then they all live dysfunctionally ever after. Periodically interrupted by one of them dying and the rest of them besieging Death’s door and banging obnoxiously on it and refusing to let her get any sleep whatsoever until she crankily says none of them are worth this aggravation and she’s not getting paid enough for this shit and tosses their recently deceased relative on their ass back on the mortal coil just to be rid of the annoying pests.

[xreaderfic-land]

What Lies Beneath Part 21 Red Hood (Jason Todd) X Reader

Summary: Coming back home to Gotham after several years was a tough choice, but you needed to put the past behind you. You blame yourself for Jason’s death and hope that with a medical degree you can have a second chance at saving the kids of Gotham’s streets, but the past won’t stay buried. As the Red Hood invites himself into your life and the little safe bubble of a lie you call life bursts you’re left struggling to cope. Your secret studying of toxins used by Gotham’s villains is sure to land you in hot water eventually, but you’re always up for a challenge. Life is a game of survival and it’s time you joined in.

Co-Author: @inkteller-17   Tags: @jason-todd-rh   @totallynotashieldagent   @exotiicqueen494   @dragons-of-the-usa     @shadowsndaisies   @e-equals-mcommunism-squared     @icycoldbeanieweanies   @peppermint-17   @theskytraveler   @wintersb0ner

Tags CLOSED DUE TO STORY COMPLETION Word Count: 4,162 WARNINGS: Language

A/N: @inkteller-17 both teared up while writing this. She and I both decided to try a crazy writing method that worked crazy well. She and I wrote via a Google Doc a certain scene of dialogue without any sort of contact in order to make things as on the fly and tongue in cheek for responses. Probably the most fun chapter we’ve written technique-wise. Hope you like it as much as we do!

Catch Up Here

—— —— —— —— ——-

“EVERYONE BE QUIET!” Alfred roared.

The arguing trailed off as all eyes turned towards Alfred.

“Alfred,” Bruce began.

“Be quiet Master Bruce!” Alfred snapped.

A few mouths fell open at Alfred’s attitude.

“Whoa, Alfred,” Dick began.

“All of you shut up and sit down now!” Alfred yelled at the group.

Nobody could believe that Alfred of all people snapped. Silently, everyone took a seat around the small room. Alfred turned towards Barry and Damian who were still in the corner in their own little world. He’d take care of the little shit at another time. Damian was the least of his worries. Alfred turned towards Bruce.

“I get it. You’re upset and want to fix things, but you’re a grown man, act like it. I’ve raised you better,” Alfred said coldly.

Bruce hung his head.

“And you three, we appreciate you coming in to help, but you’ve only caused more problems because the three of you refused to listen. You’re dismissed,” Alfred said.

Arthur, Diana, and Clark looked over at Bruce. Bruce gave them a look as if trying to mentally tell them not to argue and to just go. Hanging their heads the three members quickly left the room leaving Alfred to his lecture.

“You!” Alfred exclaimed pointing at Dick.

“What about me?” Dick asked.

“You’re the eldest, act like it. You’re supposed to be the role model for your brothers. Digging your own knife into their backs isn’t helping. Jumping from one side to the other is only causing more issues. Step up, believe in your team, and set the path to get everyone back together,” Alfred said.

Those words stung, Alfred could see the look on Dick’s face as his words hit home. Tim was already squirming next to Dick as Alfred turned his attention towards him.

“And you! Stop fighting with Jason about everything. Yes, this was Jason’s secret, but you’re his brother and even if you don’t agree with his decisions, you still need to support him and stop trying to cause more drama with him because you’re upset,” Alfred growled.

Tim looked away from Alfred.

“Now onto you two,” Alfred began.

“Bring it on old man,” You snarled.

Alfred set his cool deadly glare on you, but you didn’t squirm.

“She just took on the whole Justice League, do you really think she or I are scared of you?” Jason shot back.

“You both made stupid decisions. You both hid secrets,” Alfred said.

“I’d like to point out here, my secret wasn’t covering up someone’s resurrections, so you all can be mad at me for that, but I at least didn’t allow for someone to manipulate someone else’s feelings,” You interjected.

“Oh of course, you’ve got to point out that your deception isn’t as bad as ours,” Jason growled.

“Because it’s not, you idiot!” You shouted.

“Both of you shut up! I’ve had enough of the fighting,” Alfred snarled.

Jason turned his anger towards the butler.

“Do you really think I care if you chew our asses out and try to make us feel bad? Because I fucking, don’t!” Jason snarled.

“You’re going to listen because the two of you are out of control,” Alfred hissed.

“I have every right to be out of control,” You hissed between clenched teeth.

“Oh, of course, the princess gets to have her way, right?” Jason growled back.

Lunging forward with your fists flying, Barry was there to stop you. Alfred looked at Barry completely forgetting that he was still here. Electricity filled the room from his super speed. You looked back at Barry.

“Let me go,” You growled.

“You need to relax,” Barry said.

Lowering your fists, Barry put you back on your feet.

“You’re lucky,” You tossed at Jason.

Jason snorted. “Do you really think I’m scared of you?”

Barry shook you hard and quick before letting you go.

“Knock it off,” Barry said sternly.

Smoothing out your clothes you gave one last glare at everyone.

“I’m done. Fuck all of you,” You snarled before finally storming out.

As the door slammed behind Y/n, Jason turned his attention to his family.

“Thanks for nothing. Next time when I ask you to butt out, fucking butt out,” Jason growled before storming out of the room.

“So much for this intervention,” Tim scoffed before following suit and storming out of the room.

“Come on Damian, let’s go get a snack,” Barry said waving for the younger boy to follow him.

Dick looked at Alfred and then over to Bruce.

“Nice try guys,” Dick said with a smirk before leaving with a shake of his head.

Alfred and Bruce went their own separate ways to reevaluate this whole situation. Alfred entered the kitchen he froze mid-step when he saw Barry sitting on the counter next to Damian and they both had several cookies in their hands.

“Don’t you think you should be checking in on the rest of your team?” Alfred asked.

Barry shrugged, “Their all adults and can handle themselves,”

Damian shoved a cookie in his mouth. “Yeavhm whahavt he said,”

“What was that, Master Wayne?” Alfred asked.

Damian swallowed his cookies.

“Yeah, what he said,” Damian repeated.

Alfred sighed clearly annoyed.

Barry jumped off the counter.

“Listen, you just need to come up with another plan and try again,” Barry said to Alfred before turning back towards Damian.

He ruffled Damian’s hair. “Thanks for the cookies, see ya later,”

And with a flash, he was gone. Damian smoothed his hair down and looked back over to the butler.

“So now what?” Damian asked.

Alfred sighed. “I don’t know, Master Wayne,”

“Well, I think you should go and get my brothers, I have a plan,” Damian said.

Alfred cocked an eyebrow.

“I mean it, go! I have the perfect idea,” Damian said.

Damian sat still eating cookies that he really shouldn’t be eating as Alfred went to go and collect his brothers. He looked up when the door swung open only to reveal his dad coming in. Bruce gave his son one look and Damian was setting the rest of the cookies down and away from him.

Bruce made himself a mug of coffee before taking a seat in the corner. A few more minutes passed by before Alfred finally returned with Dick and Tim in tow. The brothers joined Damian on the counter.

“So what’s this plan of yours?” Dick asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Damian retorted.

“Obviously not shithead or I wouldn’t have asked,” Dick growled.

Damian rolled his eyes.

“I think we should just use the get along t-shirt,” Bruce piped up from the corner.

“Drop it old man, it’s not happening,” Tim shot back.

Bruce pouted and went back to sipping his coffee.

“What was the thing that brought Y/n and Jason together in the first place?” Damian asked returning his attention to the others.

“The toxin,” Tim said.

“Exactly,” Damian replied.

“So what?” Dick asked.

Damian let out the longest annoyed sighed possible.

“So, I fake the symptoms of the toxins to get Y/n and Jason in the same room,” Damian said.

“More lying?” Tim asked.

“Do you have a better idea?” Damian asked.

Tim said nothing.

“That’s what I thought,” Damian hissed.

“Fine, let’s say that works and we get them in the same room, then what?” Alfred asked.

“We do the classic lock them in a room together and refuse to let them out until they kiss and make up,” Damian explained.

Dick and Tim looked at each other.

“Do you think that will work?” Dick asked.

“We don’t have much of a choice, do we?” Damian replied.

His brothers shook their heads.

“Well then little boy you might as well start getting sick,” Tim said.

The five of them acted quickly. Up in Damian’s room, Damian got into his bed. Dick pressed a hot rag to Damian’s forehead to get him warm, but also to look a little sweaty. Tim dug around in his prank chest to pull out fake snot and a fake thermometer to set on the nightstand table.

“Won’t this be obvious that we are faking it?” Dick asked.

Bruce came storming into the bedroom.

“No we’ll make it look like somebody broke in and went after the family,” Bruce suggested.

“Smart,” Tim said as he smeared the fake snot under Damian’s nose with more enthusiasm than necessary.

Dick headed downstairs with Bruce. Dick watched in awe as his dad went outside and then kicked in the massive oak door to make it look like somebody kicked in the door.

“Break stuff,” Bruce said.

“Huh?” Dick said in confusion.

“Break things, make it look like a fight happened here. You know demo,” Bruce explained.

Dick looked at his father and then knocked over one of the more expensive vases. Bruce didn’t even flinch.

“Okay that’s what I meant, but it didn’t have to be the most expensive one we own,” Bruce explained.

“Right, I’ll remember that for next time,” Dick said before knocking over another artifact.

They took a few good hours to destroy the main entrance of the house, up the stairs and down the hallway. They really made it look like a group of goons had broken in and a fight had broken out.

As the two entered Damian’s room, they were both surprised at how sick Damian really looked. Tim found a fake syringe and threw it on the floor not too far from Damian’s bed.

“Which one sounds more believable?” Tim asked.

Damian did two different ragged breaths.

“Second one sounds better,” Dick said.

Alfred looked at the group.

“Are we ready to make this call?” Alfred asked.

“One last thing,” Dick said.

“What?” Tim asked.

Dick punched Bruce right across his jaw.

“Master Dick!” Alfred exclaimed.

Dick shrugged, “What? We had to make it look like we were in a fight,” Dick said. “And I also feel better,”

Tim and Damian shook their heads.

Alfred looked over at Bruce.

“Make your call,” Alfred said.

Bruce pulled out his phone and dialed Jason’s number. As the phone rang, Bruce put the call on speaker.

“What?” Jason answered harshly.

“Jay, come quick, we were attacked,” Bruce said out of breath.

“What?” Jason said.

“The Joker, he uh, sent some of his goons, they were armed with the toxin,” Bruce said.

“Is everyone okay?” Jason asked.

Bruce fell silent.

“Bruce!” Jason shouted.

“No, sorry, it’s Damian, they infected Damian,” The lie easily slipped from Bruce’s tongue.

“Fuck, call Y/n, she has the cure and I’ll be right there,” Jason said before ending the call.

Bruce waited a few beats before dialing Y/n number.

“What could you possibly want now?” Y/n answered.

“Y/n,” Bruce whispered.

“What?” She snarled.

“We were attacked,” Bruce began.

“So,” She scowled.

“It was the Joker’s goons they attacked us,” Bruce said.

“Is everyone okay?” Y/n asked.

“No, they infected one of us,” Bruce replied.

“Who? Who was it?” Y/n demanded to know.

“It was Damian, Y/n, and he’s already showing signs,” Bruce said.

“Fucking hell, I’ll be right there,” Y/n replied before hanging up.

The group got into position. Dick and Tim were waiting down in the lab in the Batcave. Alfred was waiting to answer the door while Bruce sat up with Damian in his room.

Jason got there first he raced up the stairs and down to Damian’s room. He noticed the debris that filled the hall. He found his dad sitting on the edge of Damian’s bed. Damian looked like shit and Jason’s heart sunk to his stomach.

“Dad?” Jason said.

Bruce looked up.

“It’s bad, Jay,” Bruce said.

Jason walked over to his brother. Damian looked like death.

“Is Y/n here, yet?” Jason asked.

“She’s down in the lab, can you go help her,” Bruce said.

Jason leaned over to press a kiss to Damian’s forehead before hurrying out. Bruce and Damian started to chuckle once Jason was gone. Just as Jason disappeared into the Batcave, Alfred opened the door to let Y/n in.

“Where’s Damian?” You asked.

“Down in the lab,” Alfred lied.

Keeping your bag close you sprinted through the manor and over to the hidden door that lead down to the Batcave. Dick and Tim stayed hidden in the shadows. Jason had already entered the lab and was in their looking for Y/n.

As you ran past them and into the lab the pair quickly slammed the door shut and turned the lock. You turned towards the door and Jason came out of the closet.

“There you are!” Jason said.

You turned back around, “Where’s Damian?”

“Up in his room, I was down here looking for you,” Jason said.

You shook your head, “In his room? Alfred said he was down here.”

“I was in his room, Y/n. I saw him, he looks like death,” Jason replied.

You heaved an annoyed sigh, “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”

Jason ran a hand through his hair. “It was a fucking trap, wasn’t it?”

“You think?” You snapped.

Outside of the lab, Bruce and Alfred and the boys were squished around the large screen watching the couple.

Jason walked over towards the door and pounded on it several times.

“Very funny, open up!” Jason shouted.

“Open the door Bruce or I swear to God.” You glared around the room trying to spy any way out.

Jason continued to pound and kick at the door.

“This isn’t a goddamn Hallmark movie! We’re not going to kiss and make up in here,” Jason snarled.

Crossing your arms and failing to find another route out you wandered toward one of the spare chairs littering the cave. Plopping down you sighed. They could let you rot in here because the pretty cute little movie scene they wanted was never going to happen.

Giving up on trying to knock down the door, Jason slid down to the ground. He kicked out his legs and let out a long sigh. Jason had a feeling that the two of you would be stuck in here forever. He could tell that you didn’t want to talk about it and he sure in the hell wasn’t in the mood to fight with you anymore.

As you let your bag drop to the ground the sound it made echoed off the walls highlighting the lack of other noise. If you tried hard enough you bet you could have heard each other breathing. You let your eyes slip shut. Just having to look at Jason was becoming painful enough, but being forced into his company was another level of agony.

“You can’t even bare to look at me, can you?” Jason asked harshly.

You gave a short laugh, “It’s easier to pretend I’m not stuck in here if I can’t see you.”

Jason shook his head and got to his feet. He began to pace back and forth. She couldn’t put her fucking pride to the side to just try and get them to a point of being civil.

The sound of Jason’s boots pacing eventually wore thin your nerves. Snapping your eyes back open you sighed heavily. God, you were so tired of this shit. Swallowing thickly you decided it was time to get over this.

“What do you want from me, Jason? To say?” You asked simply.

“I never meant to hurt you, Y/n. That was the last thing on my mind. And don’t be mad at my brothers. They were only doing what I asked of them, okay? I get it, now, okay? I know that I fucked up and that there is no way I can fix this. To fix us, but we make a helluva team and I can’t do this without you,” Jason explained.

Your eyes cut to the floor as you shook your head, “Well you’re going to have to try a little harder, Jason.” You rose to your feet and looked at him, “I can’t, literally cannot, do this anymore. And I will not pretend otherwise.”

“What more do you want from me, huh? I’ve admitted I was wrong. I apologized. I have fucking owned up to everything I’ve done. I shouldn’t have lied to you. I shouldn’t have dragged my brothers in this. I shouldn’t have manipulated you and let you fall for Red, but being close to you again was so comforting to me, do you understand that? God damn it, Y/n, you were the first thing I thought of when I came back. Being Red and having you not knowing that I was me was a mistake, but it allowed for me to be around you without putting you in major danger,” Jason snapped.

Your teeth clenched with dangerous force. Crossing your arms over your chest you mentally told yourself knocking his head to the side really wouldn’t do a damn thing. So instead you took a steadying breath.

“Do you think I would have given a shit? That I do? Jesus Christ Jason, I knew about you being Robin and the whole deal with Bruce for fucking sake! That was dangerous too, but guess what I knew about it. I knew enough about it to learn self-defense right there,” You pointed toward a section of the cave, “and we had movie nights after your patrols! I was with through damn near everything, but for some reason, you felt like I didn’t deserve to know about you coming back.” You spit out.

Clenching his fist, Jason shook in anger. She wasn’t understanding what he was trying to say. Part of him wanted to shake the living shit out of her to make her understand how important she is to him, but instead, Jason took his anger out on the wall and punched a decent size hole. Pulling back his bloody first he turned back towards you.

“This time was different, Y/n. I’m sorry that you can’t see that. I’m sorry that I hurt you, but I don’t know what else to say or do. I feel like no matter what I say you’re just going to turn back around on me. It’s like I’m talking to a broken record,” Jason whispered.

You shook your head and laughed bitterly, “Broken record? Okay, how about this then Jason. You fucked me as Red Hood. Now I don’t know about you but maybe right before that would have been a good time to tell me who you were. I don’t give a shit that I was all you really remembered when you came back, because if I actually meant a damn thing like you keep saying I was you would have told me. You would have found a way.” Tears burned your eyes the longer you had to stand near him, “How dare you, Jason.”

Her words stung. Jason’s throat was thick with emotion, but he refused to cry. He refused to show her any more weakness. He couldn’t. Not now. Letting his face go dark and cold, Jason crossed his arms over his chest.

“I’m not going to argue with you about this anymore. I’m fucking done, Y/n,” Jason coldly said.

You wiped furiously at your eyes, “Now you know how I’ve felt for the last few weeks.” Inhaling deeply you stepped closer to him, “I cried over you for months. Still am and I am fucking sick of it. Sick of the fact that I still love you even after everything. But I just can’t figure it out; how after everything Jay why didn’t I deserve the right to know? Why didn’t you tell me?”

More tears fell hot down your face making you more pissed and upset as you poked at his chest, “I held on to loving you for so long after you died, and to find out you’ve been lying to me?!” Your voice cracked as you shouted the words in disbelief.

Stepping back your shoulders dropped. The fight was finally evacuated from your body and you were just so done.

Looking at the floor your voice dropped to a whisper, “ I don’t even understand why I love you anymore. Because the Jason I fell in love with is sure as hell not the one standing before me anymore.”

The urge to punch something was strong. Jason so badly wanted to drive his fists into something over and over again to drive away some of his anger, but Jason couldn’t. Not now. Now was to make his point across. Choking down the tears that threatened to fall, he turned his cold glare up at you now that you were done with your spiel.

“You’re right the Jason you fell in love with would have told you. He would have gone against his father’s advice and sought you out. He would have cried on your shoulder, told you about his death, the nightmares, how being back in his body didn’t feel right, didn’t feel whole. The old Jason would have kissed you and told you that how sorry he was and that he loved you. That the old Jason couldn’t live without you, but I’m not that Jason. That Jason didn’t come back. That Jason is long gone and he’s never coming back. And I’m not going to apologize for that.  I came back and if you can’t accept that then maybe…”

You looked steadily into his eyes as his words shattered what little bit of a heart that was still clinging on.

“Maybe what, Jason?” You probed tiredly.

Running a hand over his tired face and then through his hair, Jason sucked in a breath.

“You shouldn’t love me,” Jason harshly replied.

You sniffled and straightened at his words. The cold that had settled deep in your bones was probably all that kept you standing up anymore. Giving your best plastic smile, “It’s a good thing I don’t anymore then because I don’t even know why I fell for you to begin with.”

Jason tensed at your harsh reply. The buzzing sound of the door unlocking had both of you looking over at the door in disbelief that they were letting you out.

Bruce and the boys looked over at Alfred. He was leaning against the large gray button that unlocked the door.

“What are you doing? They didn’t work this out!” Dick shouted.

Alfred turned back towards the group.

“You were all listening to them. There was no fixing them. They were saying hurtful things to each other on purpose. I couldn’t sit back and continue watching that,” Alfred explained.

“No, fuck that! Lock the door before they leave,” Tim shouted.

As Dick and Tim both lunged forward to the lock the door, Damian and Alfred both knocked away their hands. Bruce watched as Y/n walked past his son and whipped open the door. As she stormed out of the lab her eyes settled on the large computer screen where everyone was sitting.

“Hope you’re happy,” She said through tears before running out.

“No, don’t let her go!” Dick shouted.

Damian pulled away from his brothers and shouted after Y/n. But it was too late and she was already gone. Dick and Tim were arguing with Alfred about how easily he let the two of them go. Jason slowly exited the lab. He looked over at his family. Damian took a step towards his brother but stopped when he saw the look of pain.

“Jay,” Damian called out, but Jason turned on his heel and stormed upstairs.

“How could you let them go? We were so close!” Tim shouted.

“We were far from being close,” Alfred calmly applied.

“Dad, what do you think?” Tim asked.

Bruce stood.

“I think it’s been a long day and everyone needs to go to bed,” Bruce said.

All three boys’ mouths fell open.

“Wait, what?” Dick asked.

“You’re giving up just like that?” Tim asked in disbelief.

“Alfred is right, we can’t force them to make up. They aren’t ready for that,” Bruce said as he walked over to the lab.

Damian and the boys were hot on his heels.

“You can’t just let them go,” Dick said.

“I did and I am. They need time,” Bruce said now that he finally came to the realization that he can’t force them. There were too many issues to fix in one sitting.

Damian looked at the hole in the wall.

“Can we frame this?” Tim asked.

Alfred shook his head and Dick smirked.

“Knock it off,” Bruce said.

Damian walked back over to his dad. Bruce glanced down at his youngest son.

“What now?” Damian asked.

That was it, Bruce had no idea. He never had to deal with something like this before, he was truly lost for words. Bruce feared that both of their stubbornness was going to keep them from reuniting and Bruce wasn’t sure how the hell he was going to handle this broken team. There was no parenting manual for something like this.