Moon Moon

"This is kinda weird."

Dick lifted up the hem of the dress and complained. On the other side of the room, Jason and his boys with their phones up, recording with solemn faces.

"You guys are enjoying this."

"What? No, this is for the report. Hurry up and put the garters on."

Dick got the garters in the air and stared. Laces. For the mission. For the goddamn mission. He thought so as he put them on, trying not to punch anyone in the room as Jason and his men balled their eyes out oggling at his bare thigh under the hiked-up maid dress and apron.

When Dick received the first chocolate box from the Red Hood gang’s sniper, he had thought maybe it was just one of those weird ones that had taken a liking of him. He thought the same when Jefferson gave him a few Kisses which he thought were way too sweet, because Jefferson was Jefferson.

But when he entered Jason’s office at the base and saw a mini mountain of gift boxes and paper bags on the oak table where Jason usually drank whiskey, Dick’s senses got tingled a little. Trevor who was busy standing by Jason, looked up at him and moved toward Dick with a bright smile. 

Trevor’s smile, always a good hint to tell something fishy was being carried on. The man spent so much of his time along Jason’s side, they practically wore the same frown.  

“Those are for you.”

Dick blinked. “What?”

Dick ignored it at first. The gits, the casual compliments, the protectiveness... He had always thought some wires were a little bit out of place in Jason’s goons’ brains, they always tended to act weird especially when Dick was around. But things really blew up when Dick got nicked on the arm in the crossfire of a prison breakout. 

It was only a cut, he didn’t even notice until the end of the fight, but the team made a wreckage out of it. Trevor pulled out the first aid kit. Jefferson did a ritual dance around him ranting on how he would murder whoever fired at Dick (which were roughly twelve guys at that time), the rest of the team tugged Dick’s arm around physically fighting each other on how to bandage the two inches cut. The smaller goons hyperventilated thinking the Red Hood would go rampage on them.

Dick...well, he was goddamn tired. He just wanted to go to bed.

35: “I’m bonded to someone.”

David was a 30 years old Alpha, born Georgia and currently one year Gotham resident, occupation? Stockbroker. 

He couldn’t say his life was full of pink and rainbow, but he had a nice two-bedroom apartment in Midtown, worked in a fairly large company, and earn himself enough money to live comfortably. 

What bugged him though, was his mom. His mom had been blackmailing him through the phone in the last two weeks asking when he could give her a nice mate. She wanted grandchildren, and what David wanted though, was solace. 

He was comfortable with his life, just like this. Was he lonely? Sometimes. But he was desperate for a mate... until he saw him.

It was a particularly sunny day in Gotham, and David was sitting at his newly found coffee shop. The place made a fine espresso and he always ordered a double. And then he saw him, the only person besides from David took an outdoor seating. 

He was beautiful like a Gustave Caillebotte canvas, theatrical from the curve of his lips, to how his eyes closed when the winds blew.  And when the sun cast down heaven lights, bathing the street and poured gold on his skin, his raven wavy hair; his eyes gleamed of diamonds, Persian blue, deeper than the sea, greater than the sky.

David knew, he just knew, he wanted to make babies with this man. 

He got on his feet so fast, it felt like time had jumped and his memory missed it.

“Excuse me?“

When those eyes met him, every muscle of David trembled. He was even prettier up close. A slender neck, a minimalist style, admirable lashes, and heart-shaped lips colored of cherries. 

This man looked like he had run off a museum where they carved him.

“Yes?”

Oh god, even his soft voice was pretty. He would make a great father to their children.

“I was just sitting there....and I think you’re very beautiful.”

“Um...thank you?”

“Do you mind if I get you a cup of coffee? Anything you want.”

He looked surprised, and to be honest, David wasn’t this bold his entire life. But in his defense, he had never met a divine creature like this man his entire life until now.

“No need for that,” An arm came out of nowhere, pushing David back a few steps. “I’ve already got what he wants.”

...An Alpha.

No, a magnificent Alpha. He was built like a warrior, featured like a commander. There was no need to smell him. Those turquoise eyes conveyed authority under the cover of his white streaks hair from his 6 feet something standing. Shadow shaded on his face, silhouetted his granite features. 

There was soft huff, and the beautiful person David had fallen for at first sight covered his laugh with a hand of pretty fingers, a ring sparked when it hit the light.

Ah, David was an idiot. 

“Sorry,” He smiled softly. “I’m bonded to someone.”

And he turned over, tucked his hair up with his hand and showed David his nape. A moon-shaped bit imprinted on his skin, no longer a wound, but a scar.

“And that someone, is me.” The Alpha grunted, crossing his arms. Again, a ring reflected against the sun, hitting David’s eyes, this time on a different hand.

He was bigger than David, way bigger. David got it, so he backed away, his pride tattered.

“You were brave.” said the receptionist the moment he gave his card for an extra Americano. “That was Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne’s golden boy. The most desired man in this city.”

Bruce Wayne, as in Wayne Enterprises? Their stock is topnotch. 

“The world cried for months when he announced his marriage last year. That Alpha over there, is the owner of biggest neutral territory for underworld big names, the Iceberg Lounge. You really don’t want to give that man any wrong idea...especially about his mate.”

Ah, so that was how it was. David had an idea that person could be someone working on the shady side, and got big. 

So on his way back to the office, he pulled out his phone, called his mom and watched the sun radiant on the sky with the memory of his love at first sight. 

“Mom, you’re never gonna get grandchildren. I’m adopting a cat.”

Love, apparently, was too expensive for him.

click the cookie for prompt list 🍪

70: “I got into some trouble today. I sort of punched an Alpha in the face when he touched me. Long story short, there’s a couple of officers at the door who would like to talk to you about getting control of your omega.”

“Breath in and out, let the water flow guide your inner peace to the jour-”

“Ah fuck this shit!“

Jason got up from the mat, rolled his sleeves up all the way to his shoulders and packed his stuff. 

“Sir, please sit down. Our session is not over yet.”

“Fuck the session.” 

Meditation is good for impulse-control, he said. It was going to be a way to get his anger tempered down, he said. They couldn’t just have angry sex as the resolution for every fight, he said. Well, Dick could shove all of those reasons back up his ass, because Jason wasn’t getting any near this stupid shit anymore. The only reason he actually agreed to this in the first place was Dick’s stupid puppy eyes anyway.

“Sir! You’re not allowed to leave before the class is dismissed!”

“Well fuck you too!”

He was playing a shit show now, Jason knew. Not even 5 sentences and he had already made it to the third “fuck”. 

“I know this is not comfortable, we understand. But this is why your mate sent you here.” Ah, that goddamn yoga teacher in pants tighter than the Nightwing suit, was tougher than Alfred’s cookies after 3 days. 

And what he knew about Jason?

“Listen,” Jason sucked in. Swallow it down. Swallow it down. He told himself. The last thing he needed was the center to make an informal call to Dick saying Jason called the staff here a shrimp head. 

“I don’t want to be here. You don’t want to be insulted. Nobody wants a scene. So get out of my way and we can have it at peace, okay?”

“Sir, not everything can be resolve with explicit languages and violence.“

“Ah you fuc- Wait, who said anything about violence?”

“The reason of this session is not only for you to live a better, stree-free life, but also to secure the safety of your loved one.”

Jason’s forehead twitched. “Fucker, are you implying I’m an abusive mate?”

Him? Abusive mate? Him, the one going down his knees to cut Dick’s toenails, cooking a 7 days frozen foods every weekend to make sure Dick never skip a meal, and letting Dick accidentally throw a wingding at his head without any complaint when he sneaked into their house through the window like a petty thief after a blood bath at Blackgate? 

Him?

“Everything has a starting point. Alphas have a high tendency of natural instinct overlapping reasons. And when the water surface of your temper is already unsteady. Nothing can be assu-”

Jason snapped and threw his fist. 

He was fucked. That was the only thing Jason had in mind when sitting at the kitchen island of his and Dick’s shared apartment. Dick was going to kill him. 

Dick was so going to kill him for breaking the yoga teacher’s nose and sent about five security guards of the center into mental shock. At best he would beat Jason with a meat hammer until the Red Hood was unavailable for patrol for about two weeks. At worst, he would probably put an end to this and pack his stuff, saying he needed space until Jason sorted himself out.

Jason couldn’t have that. He would literally die if Dick ever walked out of their door with a duffle bag over his shoulder. 

So when the door sprang open and Dick walked into the living room, Jason hopped over the couch and slides both knees down the floor, hugging Dick’s legs. “Please don’t leave me!”

“Jason,” Dick blinked. “What the hell?” But then he collected himself back before Jason even got a chance to open his mouth. “Whatever. Anyway, the police are here.”

“What?” So the center called and decided to sue him? Great. Now Dick was so leaving him, and the Demon Brat would laugh at his face, and Bruce would spit at his face.

“They're here for me?“

“No, they're here for me- Wait, what did you do?”

“For you? What did you do?”

They stared at each other, not blinking. Dick sorted through the chance if he should say it first or later. And Jason sorting his chances if Dick’s thing was big enough so he could get away with what happened today.

In the end, Dick gave up. He sighed. “I got in some...trouble, today.” He stopped, scratched his head. Maybe Jason did get a big shot of getting away with punching the yoga teacher. “I sort of punched an Alpha in the face when he touched me. Long story short, there’s a couple of officers at the door who would like to talk to you about getting control of your omega.” Dick babbled the rest at speed force.

Jason went speechless. The officers standing outside the corridor finally poked their heads in and waved “Hi”.

Jason slowly got up on his feet. “You punched someone!?”

Dick snapped back. “He touched me! Is that all you care about?”

“Please, is he even alive?!”

“Well, he’s hospitalized and in a coma, but that’s not the point!”

“And you made me go to a treatment center?!!!”

“Guys, we just want to send a message...It’s past our shift so...Can we go home now?”

In the end, they both agreed to never talk about anger management anymore and decided to exercise their heats on Gotham criminals. 

For the prompt list, click on the cookie 🍪

7: “Put the glass down. You are pregnant with my kids and I’m not going to let you self-destruct because you can’t cope with _______ ” (ex: your nature)

Back when his life was simple, tasteless, troubleless (okay, maybe not, but he was a walking trouble anyway), Jason only had two things he admittedly openly loved, drinking and making a scene. 

Didn’t matter what scene it was, he just loved fucking things up and seeing all these pretentious people shaking out of their shells.

Now though, when his life wasn’t as simple like then anymore, when he got intruders thrusting themselves into his life, his personal feelings, Jason developed two things he hated to the guts: Dick drinking, and Dick making a scene.

It was funny how his perceptions escaladed from him doing something, to only Dick doing something, but right now, his mate was currently doing both of it.

Wayne Gala. Elite, supreme flamboyant Alphas. Business giants bumping shoulders, shaking hands. Cocktails and high-end spirits. And one Wayne’s ward Gotham darling Richard Grayson. All the greatest combination on earth to tick Jason’s nerve. Well guess what, all of those aspects were coming together hand in hand and aiming to slap at Jason’s face.

Dick balled out laughter, wiping tears (the ever extra Queen) and patting a guest’s back so hard Jason could almost match the sound with the twitching pulse on his forehead. A sparkling cocktail flute on his hand, while the other busy hiding another bold laughter that got everyone’s attention in the room on him.

Yeah, he was a scene, but he was a likable scene. Like a buttered scone for a sinner soul. Out of 800 million Omegas in the 7 billion population of this world, Jason just had to mate with the prettiest, most extreme, attention lust on this planet. If Jason didn’t love him so much, he would probably only fuck him. 

So when the two Alphas standing next to Jason in the corner whispering to each other while grinning looking at Dick from afar, Jason snapped. Yeah, he couldn’t control idiots, but at least he could make an attempt to control his idiot.

 “Jason!” Dick beamed in the middle of the crowd when Jason made it through his circle of admirers. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is Jason. My lovely bodyguard. Look at him, admire him. But don’t daydream, he’s taken.” He ended with a whispered behind the hand. 

Great, Jason downgraded from fiance proposing with a million-dollar diamond ring to one dumb watchdog. He regretted every decision in his life. 

“Enough of this,” Jason grunted, decided to drop a bomb. “Put the glass down. You’re pregnant with my kids and I’m not going to let you self-destruct because you can’t cope with your chaotic spirit animal.”

“Excuse me, my spirit animal is Cher. And she’s a Queen!” Dick jabbed back but noticed after a minute that the crowd was staring at them. “Well, did I happen to mention he’s also my fiance?”

Okay, now Jason officially snapped. He stepped over, hauled Dick over his shoulder and walked out of the ballroom with reporters poking phones along their path. He couldn’t care less if Dick was crawling his back like a frustrated kitten.

“Stupid. Over-protective. Possessive. ALPHA!“ 

He cared about the fact that Dick was screaming right to his ear more than what he said, honestly. 

“It’s only 2 and a half months!”

“Excuse me, it is our kids. And you’re not going to another goddamn party in the rest of the year.”

“Excuse me, you said you didn’t even want to have kids!“

Did Jason ever say that? Yeah, guess he did, back when they weren't engaged, back when they weren’t mates. Back when they weren’t even dating, which was roughly five years ago. If he of then knew he would be making babies with the walking living god Nightwing, he would have bought a crib way before they even got to the dating step.

“Is this you...” Now that Jason really paid a mind to it. “Are you doing this because you think I don’t want to make babies with you?”

Dick went slack on his shoulder, which was a way bigger answer than any spoken word. 

Jason sucked in a lungful, loosened his tie, fastened his strides. 

“Where are we going?” Dick chirped.

“We’re going home.”

“What for?”

“We’re giving the kids siblings.”

prompt list is the cookie! 🍪

11.  “You, the alpha, are cooking for me?”

Dick woke up from a slumber.

Yeah, the wake-up process wasn’t a jog on cloud nine. Everything hurt, badly. His back ached when Dick attempted to move even an inch from his where he laid. His neck ached too, felt like fire dancing beneath the layer. Worse, his throat was terribly dry. He was in dead need for water. 

Dick felt like he was hit by a truck, or had just gone through a fistfight with a brown bear...well, technically, he was a bit alike. This was how sleeping with Alphas ended up like, tattered, but satisfied. Oh yes, Dick was ravaged well. Lucky him, tomorrow was still weekend.

They met, had a couple of drinks (okay, maybe more than a couple), and one thing led to another. Looking around the room, there was no socks, no pants, no water running, not even a hair left, that prove that person’s last night's existence. Dick didn’t expect to find any though. 

One more thing he noticed though, someone was using his kitchen. 

Being a detective in the GCPD while playing Nightwing by night, Dick didn’t exactly get much time to explore his own house, not alone his kitchen. That place was practically an abandoned island. So either his thief decided to be stupid and stay in for a home cook meal, or his uninvited guest was someone who wasn’t afraid of him. 

Dick liked the first idea a whole lot better.

He just managed to set both feet down the floor, was still sitting on the bed when the door sprang open. Dick jumped out of his skin, because he may like thinking there was a chance for a stupid thief in his house, he didn’t exactly trust his luck that much. He was about to reach for the escrimas in the drawer thinking, he didn’t know, Deathstroke behind that door?

In reality? No Deathstroke though, only one Red Hood, sans mask, sans helmet, sans jacket. No, it was the Red Hood. It was Jason Todd. And Jason was looking at him dead in the eyes.

“You’re awake.“

Dick blinked. “I am?”

Jason laughed. He had a spatula on his right hand. Why there was a spatula on his right hand? He didn’t kill someone with it, right?

“You look wrecked.“

“I do?“

Jason laughed again. This time so hard he had to lean himself over the doorframe. Dick was so busy ogling over his frame. He was tall, even for Alpha standard, he was strikingly tall. The muscle on his shoulder flexed over a white clean shirt. Soft slick back hair, the white streak fell down close to his brows. 

Yeah, even a blind man could smell he was an attractive beast. 

“I wrecked you good, didn’t I?“

When did he get so close, Dick didn’t even notice. All he saw for the moment, was the lips familiar oh so familiar with a sinister laugh, smiled at him gently with sunlight sliding by his side. 

That was right, it was him. They had sex last night. They drank together last night. And it was Dick who grabbed on his hair and jerked Jason into a kiss, turning the green light on. Last night, he had felt like burning even though without his heat. And Jason was the only fire extinguisher for him. 

Memories were coming back now. Dick needed to stop drinking from now on. 

“Come on, I’m making waffles.“

Dick huffed. Jason frowned. “What?”

“You, the Alpha, are cooking for me?”

“Am I not supposed to?”

Dick dropped his smile. He intended it as a joke. Not so funny now. 

“I...didn’t expect it from you?” Though Jason was a great cook, for himself. The Alpha didn’t exactly wear an apron with a hand sewed “Friendly cook” and invite people over for a gettogether meal. Well, he probably would, if he intended a Red Wedding.

“You know what, you’re right. I don’t do this to most people.“ Jason shrugged and agreed. 

“Am I not most people?“ Dick snickered. “Is that your grungy way of saying I’m one in a million?” Because if that was true...Dick didn’t know how he would react to that. 

“No.”

Okay, predictable. Still hurt though. 

But then Jason grabbed on Dick’s face and pulled until their foreheads touched, noses bumped on one and another.  

“You’re so much better than that.“

And all Dick could sense, was the happiness glinting in those half-closed eyes, crystal blues against the sun, and the faint scent of butter lingered on his clean white shirt. 

part 1

part 2

Jason, like all other emperors, must get married and give this world a descendant. 

Dick watched from the garden as another line of foreign representatives from another country came to offer a chance of union. 

He, young and attractive, fearless and opulent, a King in myths and a God in battlefields. Princesses of nations, queens of realms, beauties of legend had seek for him as flowers bloomed reaching toward the sun. They were all ravishing, delicate creatures cherished by Gods the creators, but the sun was untouchable, and so was him.

“Don’t be minded by them.” The King plugged a rose by the bush with his bare hand only to offer it to him. “I have no intention of getting married, not in the near future.”     

Dick received the red bloom from his hand, peeking at his glory form. Like the sun, he was radiant. A god by himself, built upon strong legs carrying him through sword fights with caped shoulders of ocean. He was tall, shadowing over Dick like a tree. Among his persons he carried the finery of red and gold, red of the blood he had spilled and gold of the victories he attained.  

I’m so sorry, I set him at 7 sth. But here you go.

When his men called saying Nightwing was compromised, Jason had the worst scenario in his mind. In this line of work, both vigilantism and transgression, “compromised” was a very terrifying term to describe a person’s status.

Yeah, one could say Jason’s imagination had gone quite colorful since marriage and having a stubborn, self-sacrificial hero as a husband. But at all might, Jason did not expect to see a tiny butt naked kid doing a double flip from his desk down to the leather couch in his office once he hit the base. His men stood around, mouths opened and terrified by what they just saw, hands ahead ready to catch the fall if one about to happen.  

“What the hell is going on?” Jason demanded.

“I can explain!” was what everyone in the room said at the same time. “Blue!” They yelled when the kid took a pillow on the couch and threw it at Jason.

“Blue?!” Jason howled, letting the pillow hit him.

After about 10 full minutes of his men rambling explanation, jumping into each others mouths and cursing under their breaths in various languages, Jason finally settled everything down with a nose pinch and a painful headache watching the kid‒no, his husband, his 8 years old version husband now wrapped in his jacket flipping the oversized sleeves around like a bird with a fat smile on his face.

A wizard, they said. An unexpected team up with Constantine, they said. The man just vanished, they said. The next thing Jason knew, he was already dialing for the damn British after demanding his contact from Bruce.

“Whoever the fuck you are, you pick a bloody time.”

“Bring my husband back now before I put a bounty on your head.”

There was a pause. Jason groaned and pulled out a pack of cigarette from the drawer until he saw Dick watching him with giant blue eyes from across the room, arms still flapping the sleeves up and down. He groaned again, and put the pack back to its place.

“Sorry, mate, already got some pretty good pennies for my head.” There was a pause again, this time shorter. “Oh hell, you’re the Red Hood, aren’t you?”

“The one and only. Now I want Nightwing back to normal.”

“Sorry, mate. No can’t do. You’re not the only one who wants the smoking bum back.” Jason growled. He had a feeling the man was fucking smiling on the other side of the line. “Party went all the pot. Your lovely hubby got smashed with a 150 years old spell of age reversal.”

“And you can’t undo it?”

“Give a tosh, will ya? I’ve just said it’s a 150 years old spell, top of the line, a bloody 1990 Chateau Margaux of dark quirk dictionary. I have “Master of dark arts” on the business card, not “Master of breaking dark arts”

Jason was getting tired of this shit. “You’re saying he’s gonna stay like this?”

“What if I’m saying exactly that?”

“Then smoke your last stick while you still can, master of dark arts.”

“Gee, you’re no fun. What that doll saw in you anyway. The spell wears off after two to three days. You can just‒”

Jason hung up. He got what he needed. The more time he spent off with the Brit, the more the headache was killing him. Jason turned on the chair to face with the reality of his current tiny squeezy husband.

Dick didn’t seem to remember shit, along with his body, his brain had come back to the years of his childhood too.

Dick’s private team was taking the tiny version of their Blue like a pack of house cat staring at a cucumber, circling around him on the couch like watching an alien.

“Do you recognize me, Blue?” Hank asked, hands out like trying to tame a wild beast.

“Idiot, he doesn’t know he’s Blue.” Jefferson spat. “Uh… Dick? Richard? Do you… do you want a candy?”

“Should we even give him a candy?”

Yep, everybody was totally freaking out. Despite everyone’s wrecked reaction, Trevor stood behind Jason’s back filming everything.

“You’re enjoying this.”

Trevor kept on his phone. “Do excuse me, Boss. Not every day I get to see Blue like this.”

“He’ll delete all of it, once he turns back to normal.”

“That is, if he finds out.”

Dick had somehow managed to climb up to Hank’s back, sit on the man’s shoulder and pull on his little bun of hair. He frowned tiny fat hands scrambled through the locks of Hank’s burnt orange hair like trying to dig something out of his head.

“Hank,” Jefferson turned. “Cut your hair.”

“The fuck!?”

“He doesn’t like it.”

“But…” Hank turned to Dick on his shoulder, looking with the desperation of a man before a cliff. “I’ve grown this out for years, Blue.”

Dick tilted his head, suddenly giggled out loud and yelled. “Viking!”

Okay, maybe he didn’t hate Hank’s hair in the end.

“Is Viking cool, buddy?”

“Viking cool!” Dick nodded enthusiastically.

Jason could literally see Hank’s chest puffed out a little.

“Hey, I’m cool too.” Bob jumped in front of Hank and grabbed his bear out. “Look, Viking’s beard.”

Dick made a face. Hank immediately pushed his teammate away. “Yo, you’re creeping him out. Cut your fucking beard, you look like a fucking hobo.”

“Oi, watch ya’ fuckin language.”

“Enough, nobody’s cutting their hair.” Jason groaned, turning on his chair. “Dick.” He called, patting his lap just when the toddle reached out to rub on Bob’ bald head. “Come here.”

Dick stared at him, cocked his head aside then suddenly jumped off Hank’s shoulder. Everybody yelped like teenage girls, Jefferson stood right by and caught his fall in time, and Dick seemed to expect it. He buried himself into the man’s neck, hiding from Jason.

Jefferson blushed violently. Jason’s eye twitched.  

“Dick, come on.” He got up from his seat. “Don’t you want to come home?”

That got Dick’s attention.

“Home?”

Goddamn, that squishy voice. It pierced Jason and pretty much everyone in the room right in the heart.

Dick poked his head out from Jefferson’s chest and yearned toward Jason, palms opened and closed. Jason definitely did not yell inside his head.

He got Dick into his arms, squeezing his button up with his tiny little hands. These days Jason occasionally have to wear suit to work and Dick would usually be the one who nagged his head off for staining blood on white shirts or wrinkling perfectly ironed suits. Guess he couldn’t blame Jason this time.

“Shall we go home?” He fastened Dick in his arms. God, he weighted practically nothing. Dick had always sported a lighter bodyweight than the rest of the family to support his flip and jump, but now, Jason could barely felt the little pounds in his hold.

“To the circus?” Dick chipped.

Ah right, the circus.

“No, Dickie. The circus has some business for a couple of days. Your pop and Haly asked me to take care of you until they’re done working. Can you be a good boy until they’re back?”

Dick pouted. Jason could see written clear on his face that Dick didn’t trust him.

Jason decided to switch to France. “Now the white melts away;”

Dick’s eyes glowed up. He jumped up and down in Jason’s arm. “Now the flowers bloom gray;”

“Come dear bird and build your nest,” Jason walked them down the elevator and to the garage.

“For we love our robin best.” Dick smacked a loud kiss onto his cheek and nuzzled Jason’s neck.

God bless his heart if this was how Dick expressed his affection when he was little.

They got down the garage with Dick hanging tight to his neck. Jason couldn’t say he wasn’t enjoying this too much.

“So, little bird. Which car do you want?”

Dick peaked his head out, looking at him with full rounded eyes. “I can choose?”

“Of course, anything you want.” Jason always dropped a “baby” there. Well carved habit couldn’t be shaken off in one night.

He pointed toward the cars parked in the base and smiled down on Dick. “Which one do you like?”

There was a Ford Mustang Mach 1, the one Jason came here with, but he doubted he’d be coming back with it; a white GMC Savana in the corner, about two dozens of cabs, couples of trucks and 5 black Chevrolet Blazer. Couldn’t say the gang’s garage was colorful enough for a kid’s choice, but Jason was amazed when Dick’s little finger pointed toward one of the trucks.

“Really? Why not that one?” Jasone motioned toward the blue semi-truck in the corner. Not the prettiest choice, but Jason thought for a kid, appearance wouldn’t be the problem if the color was right.

“I thought you like blue?”

“No!” Dick chipped, jumped up and down. “I want big one.”

Right, he should have guessed.

“Sorry, we can’t go with that.”

Dick pouted, squeezed Jason’s shirt. He darted his eyes around, seemingly confused.

“Hey, how about this one.” Jason pointed toward the Rover Evoque in the middle of the room. “What do you think? It’s pretty big too.”

Dick stared at the car then back at the truck. It was clear as daylight he still wanted to go with the truck. But a good kid he was, he nodded and clung tight to Jason’s neck when he walked them toward the Rover.

Dick didn’t say anything when Jason fastened the seatbelt for him, just stared at every of his movement. Jason didn’t know to either turn on the news or switch on kid channel for him. Then it hit him, was he always this awkward when around kids?

He had never shut up about having kids before taking John in, and maybe even a few times after taking him in. Not that he rushed Dick, not that he was actually that needy for a toddler in the household. But the idea hit more than just a few times out of the blue, and considered the clumsy way he dealt with the situation right now, maybe Dick was right to never take Jason seriously.

As if sensed the tension on Jason’s shoulder, Dick touched his hand and squeezed the fingers. He stared, and all over again, Jason saw the sky and the sea in the ocean of his eyes.

“You have big hands.”

God, his accent was off, a sign that showed he was still getting used to using multiple languages at a time. This was strange, but Jason held back his hand.

“Is that so?”

Dick nodded his head, up and down until his hair mixed up and fell all over his face. It almost seemed like his head was too big for his tiny little body.

“You have a big inel.”

“Inel?”

Dick looked down and frowned, biting his lips and drowning in his thought. Suddenly, he jointed up. “Ring!” He yelped. “You have a big ring!”

Jason laughed again and motioned at his driving hand. “This one?” Dick nodded, head bobbed up and down again. “You have a bigger one though.”

Dick’s face brightened up. “Reallyyy?”

“Yeah.”

“Vreau sa vad!”

He pulled his lips together when realized what he had said, but his eyes stayed huge and earning they had Jason burst out laughing again. He must be really excited if his tongue slipped back to Romanian like this.

Jason pocketed his pants and pulled out Dick’s ring with the bracelet. Dick never wore it on his finger when out in the suit, he wore it on his neck. Dick received it with both hands and sparkling eyes, just as bright and beautiful as the stone on the ring.

“It’s so pretty!”  

“It’s yours. Always has been, always will be.”

Dick gasped out loud. He bounced in his seat, legs kicking all the way. He waited no time and put the necklace on while making tiny high pitch happy sounds.

Jason had had it coming that Dick probably was an innocent, restless kid back in the days but he had no idea, no idea his husband would be this lively, this energetic. He never stopped doing something, always moving. His body was these waves of the ocean, kept going and never halted in front of anything.

Jason liked it. He loved it. He loved Dick, and that was probably why even the bitty annoying things he found in most people came so endearing when belonged to this certain person.

“Thank you, mista…”

“Jay.” Jason smiled. “You‒ your parents always call me Jay. You can call me Jay too.”

“Thank you, Jay.”

When they got home, Dick flew to every corner of the apartment. Jason took time admiring his husband little body marvel every little thing nested in their house, every little thing that was his and theirs.

Beast came out to greet them, and Dick couldn’t look happier. Most kids by his size seeing a dog by Beast’s size crapped their pants, but not Dick, not the boy who grew up surrounded by felines and befriended a giant elephant. He took no time climbing up Beast’s back and laid his head down the moving mountain of fur. He had the most beautiful smile on his face when looking back at Jason, and it had him breathless.

Dick never smiled like that. Being married for 7 years had taught Jason every shade of Dick’s emotions, from the bluest to the reddest, from the darkest to the brightest. The laugh he rung right now carried the innocence of a child who knew too little of this world, whose weight on the legs was only his body and not the world.

“Well fuck.”

Jason snapped himself out of the wire. John stood by his bedroom door, crossing his arms watching Dick’s riding Beast run around the living room.

“Don’t tell me I’m having a sibling.”

Jason groaned and went pick Dick off Beast’s back. “No, no you’re not.” Because having John was enough to deal with already. “Your dad ran into… stuff. This is how he’s gonna temporary stay like.”

“No shit, that’s pa?”

“Pooper mouth!” Dick suddenly yelled and pointed a finger at John, jostling Jason who just had him up by his chest. “Mama says who curses must clean the animal cells.”

“You’re cute.” John laughed.

Dick flipped his sleeves around and blew his tongue at John. His reaction only entertained their son more.

“Say, how old are you?”

“I’m 7. But Mr. Haly says I’ll be as big as a centaur.”

“Is that so?” John dragged the words out. God, maturing up being the smallest of the family sure as hell broke his childhood dream tremendously.

“You better not say a thing.” Jason threated John.

“I’ll be as big as a centaur!” Dick yelled right into Jason’s ear again, jumping up and down in his arms.

“Alright, alright. As big as a centaur.”

Soon enough, Jason found himself struggling to dress Dick because none of his clothes fit him now. Dick couldn’t wear his jacket to bed, so Jason came up with a solution by dressing only John’s old nightwear top and leaving the bottom out.

By the time they were out of the shower, Jason had Dick sat on the vanity counter and brushing his teeth while looking around in curiosity. He still had his ring around his neck, and that made Jason unconsciously smile more than once.

Jason called in to cancel patrol later in the day. He couldn’t go out with Dick like this, so Jason settled his day by resting his face on his palm watching his 8 years old husband sing and dance after the cartoon show on TV at midnight.

Dick wriggled his butt around, constantly stood on his hands half as much as on his feet. He called for Beast and hugged him until the show ended, making Jason wonder if this was what Mr. and Mrs. Grayson had dealt with every time they called him to bed, their little Robin curled in the tiger cage or nested somewhere among the animals.  

Dick had actually done that. He had told Jason before.

“When will Mr. Haly and my mom and dad be done?” Dick rubbed his eyes. “I miss them.”

Jason didn’t know if he was tired or on emotional edge. It was hard to tell if it was little of both when Dick buried his face into Beast’s fur and yawned loudly.

“You miss them?”

Dick nodded.

“Come here.”

Jason patted on his side of the bed. Dick didn’t hesitate and crawled right over.

He wrapped his little arms around Jason and hugged him without asking. Jason, too used to have his Dick’s arms around him, took a second to get used to the feeling.

Jason lost his word. He didn’t know how to deal with a kid. All of a sudden, he thought of Bruce, thought of how he had deal with the 9 years old version of a broken Dick right after losing his parents.

He didn’t want to be like Bruce.

“I’m missing someone too, someone really important to me.”

Dick curled himself tighter around him. “Really?”

“Yeah, I love them very much. I love them so much, I feel lonely and empty without them by my side.”

Dick blinked and nudged even closer. “Don’t worry, mista. Dick can stay with you until they come back. Tig the Tiger gets lonely too every time Mr. Haly moves him to a different cell when he has a bad leg, but Dick always come sleep with him so he won’t cry.”

“Is that so?”

“Um, Dick will protect you until your partner comes back.”

Jason tried not to laugh. Gosh, why couldn’t he be like this when he was 7? Why couldn’t Damian be like this when he first came to them? It would have been a much less pain in the ass.

That night, they went to sleep with Dick tucked in Jason’s arms, lightly snoring after the story of the legend Nightwing of Krypton.

Jason almost had a heart attack waking up next to a kid until he remembered what just happened last night.

He took his time admiring Dick’s sleeping face, couldn’t help but smile to himself. This was the face of Dick Grayson he never got to see, Jason was going to devour it as much as he could until Dick turned back. And if he had snapped one for two photo with his phone, that was his secret to keep.

One more thing he learned since this incident, was that little Dick ate like a tiger cub. He liked strawberry, a lot.

“Easy would you? We still have more if you like.” Jason nervously laughed as he watched Dick chunked down all the strawberries Jason had pushed into his plate since he finished his in a blink.

Dick’s eyes sparked up as Jason wiped the edge of his mouth. “Really?”

“Yes. But you have to be a good boy to have them.”

Dick giggled. “I can be a good boy. I am a good boy.”

“Should I get you two a room or…”

Jason glared at John, who wriggled his brows all the way to his hairline. He kicked his son under the table, smiled when Dick cocked his head in confuse as John howled.

Wiping Dick’s lips again, watching his little husband playfully picked up another strawberry and played with it like a toy plane, made Jason suddenly thought maybe this whole magic shit wasn’t so bad.

He would still hunt Constantine’s ass down for this, but no one needed to know Jason was enjoying more than he should.

“Jeff knocked on the door today again, you know.” His son laid out on the table and poked at Dick’s nose. “You have to spill something to him. The man is jumping in the dark not knowing anything.”

“He doesn’t need to know anything. By tomorrow, your dad will turn back. That’s all.”

“You can at least tell him, he lives only one stair down. In the end, he loves Pop.”

Jason glared at him.

“What? I have eyes, you know. Have you seen his face?”

“He works for me. You think I’m blind?”

“And you’re okay with him being like that?”

“Emotional relation makes people loyal.”

“Wait, so you made him…”

“No.” Jason shook his head, gave Dick the dish with the rest of the strawberries and shooed him to the living room.

“What do you mean no?”

“That’s not my doing, that’s your dad. That’s his secret power, he makes people falls for him, follow him, listen to him. Your dad is a damn meta in the art of manipulation.”

“Sounds like you have a handful of experience.”

“Oh I did. I did, you have no idea.”

Everybody knew how good Dick was in getting what he wanted. He played with his words, digged through people’s skins and flayed them open to examine. He read their minds, bonded lies and truth together, until everybody fell for it and listened to him like bewitched.

Since knowing Dick until now, Jason had never once broken through this spell he wilfully exposed himself to.

Suddenly, he felt the edge of his shirt being tugged down. Dick, with his impossibly huge eyes, looked up at him with half of a strawberry poked out between his wet lips. He pushed the fat fruit in further with one hand, while the other squeezed on his shirt like begging for something.

“What is it?” Jason picked him up and rested him on his lap despite John’s amused huff.

“Beast wants to go out.” He pointed his little finger toward Beast, who hopped up from where he lied, heaving through his mouth excitedly.

Well, wasn’t that surprising.

“He wants to go out?”

Dick nodded, head bobbed up and down like a doll.

“He told me so.”

“He told you so?”

“Dick can talk to animal, don’t you know?”

Well damn. Jason doesn’t mean anything bad when he reached for his phone and started recording.

“Tell me again, Dickie. You can talk to animal?”

“Um hum, I can talk to lion and tiger too. Big lions and tigers, like the one Mr. Haly keeps.” Dick opened his arm big and wide to emphasize. Half of the strawberry still hung dangling between his lips.

He started jumping on his feet when rambling about all the animals the circus raised, and Zitka. He twirled on his little feet, hands waved around, cheek swollen with what was left of the fruit he was munching on.

Dick would probably hate him for doing this. He would probably even kick Jason out of their bedroom for weeks if Jason showed this to any of his men.

But that was only the close future to care about, right?

“Jason.”

Jason rolled on his stomach, groaned. Too damn early to deal with anything.

“Jason.”

Fuck, he’d shoot the head of whoever was fucking annoying him.

“Wake up before I kick you off the bed.”

Jason snapped his eyes open and shot himself off the mattress. Blinking, he heaved watching Dick stand in the middle of the room, naked, arm crossed with a displeased frown printed on his forehead.

“You took your time.” Dick, grown Dick, Nightwing Dick, his Dick, quirked his brow and uncrossed his arm, picked up the jacket on the floor and threw it at Jason’s face.

“Clean your mess. How many time have I told you to not throw your jacket down the floor right after going home.”

He went straight to the bathroom after that, hips swaying in the way that had half of Gotham heralds went nutshit, leaving Jason dumbfounded on the bed.

Instinctive as he was, he reached for the bedside table and opened his phone, checking the photo library without a single thought. The photos were still there, all of them.

He laughed to himself. It wasn’t a dream.

The shower started running. Dick was singing loudly. Outside, the sun poured through their window, shone on the naked brick walls and the old poster of Haly circus.

He reached for the drawer, picked on dozens of other work phone and typed in Constantine’s number.

“He’s back. You live.

RH.”

Then he threw his phone away, stripped off his clothes, and went straight to the bathroom.

“Honey, did you ever say you liked strawberry when you were little?”