Chapter Text
Turning to look back at the three others, Jason is starting to get into a really pissed mindset. Leaning against the backrest of his chair, he crosses his arms and grunts. “Could you guys stop with putting Tims mind down for five fucking seconds? Isn’t that a conversation you would want to have with him having all his three marbles rolling in the right direction?”
Stephs hands freezes and her gaze snaps to him, her blue eyes big and appearing like a deer in headlights while Bruce keeps his hand on Tims head, but peers down at him in thought. The kid himself is already blinking slowly and Jason has to keep his growl in. Honestly, what the fuck is wrong with this family? With this pack? With Alphas in general?
Steph at least, slowly takes her hand back from Tims scent glands, as if unsure if that is really the way it should go, with her own frown deepening. “What are you saying here, Jason?”, she tilts her head. “Tim, what is he saying here? Isn’t that something Omegas can decide upon?”
Jason will give her that she at least has that bit of knowledge but from his perspective her observation skills are abysmal. He can see it from here, how Tims pupils have gone bigger again and that what little movement he makes, is slow. Maybe even sluggish. Same with his blinks. “Yeah”, the kids nods and his voice sounds as if he is five minutes away from sleeping. “But somehow I can’t. I hadn’t.. I didn’t..”
That is the moment that Bruce takes his hand back and sighs. “Jason had the same problem in the beginning, as he started to live here. But he was so much younger and his situation was so different. I thought most of it was to the pollen and not that you react to scenting this strong in general.” The Alpha raises a hand to massage his temple. “You should have said something.”
Well, Bruce is not completely wrong here. It was hard to gauge things about someone that got hit by pollen. Bring the barely scratched by heat in and that it would be Tims first array close to others as Omega and a lot things begin to make a bit more sense. Not that they paint a much better picture, but at least it is a different one.
Shaking her head slightly, Steph exhales noisily and falls back into her own chair. “So what got you to show your own cards, was that you think we are what.. abusing Tim?”
“No one said anything about abusing Tim”, Dick intervenes smoothly and Jason suppresses the urge to look at him. “But obviously we need to have a discussion or two as a pack and that wont happening like this.”
“Hm”, Bruce makes a non descriptive sound and, after a last look over the younger Omega, turns around to walk to his own seat at the table. “These discussion would include the matter about both of our packs Omegas then?” The question was asked lightly but Jason can feel its weight already on his shoulders. He doesn’t like it.
“Not sure what there is to talk about me”, he muses and takes another sip from his tea, quietly imploring himself to stay calm. “I don’t get scent drunk without wanting it.”
Before the others can say anything, it is Tims quiet voice that gets his attention. “How? How do you control it?”
Funny how that is one of the questions he doesn’t like to answer, because he doesn’t want to think about it. He still has the hardest time to acknowledge positive things that Bruce has done for him. It always leaves him feeling raw and open, with some memories haunting him for days afterwards. But Tim has the right to ask. Especially since it had been Jason that had brought it up in the first place.
“Bruce”, he wrings out. “He often scented me, before going to sleep. The first few times I did go under like a stone, but as I woke up the next day, everything was normal again. I think my medical file said something about being touch starved played another role into it.”
The Packalpha nods. “We got it under control after a while, with starting to shorten and lengthen scentings at random intervals. It took maybe a month?” He glances at Jason, who finds himself nodding. “Something like that.”
That memory is, for all that it is harmless on the surface, one of the more bitter ones for him. Because it shows that the man that more or less screamed into his face that he wasn’t Jasons father and doesn’t care for teenage drama, had also been the man to gentle help these issues of his. That the same Alpha that decided to hurt Jason instead of the Joker, was also the one that put gentle hands into his hair and smiled at his scent drunk antics.
It is also the reason that Jason doesn’t let go for Dick all that often, even knowing that it would do him good and that the Alpha would be happy about it. Not that Dick has ever complaint about it. Not once. Apparently seeing that decision rightfully completely in the Omegas hands. Which is the truth. Obviously. But now he is starting to wonder if Dick isn’t right? That they probably have stuff to talk about that is going deeper than the surface relationship as packmembers.
He shakes his head, as if trying to get rid of these thoughts. They are not helpful at the moment, and Tim actually looks thoughtful. Before it morphs into an expression of defeat. “This might be my own fault then. I knew I would present at some point and stepped back from the pack. I wasn’t touch or scent starved before my parents..”, he cuts himself off. “I guess it started with me pulling back, to give nothing away.”
Surprisingly it is Cass that points out the obvious. “That did not happen to Jason. Had Dick with him.” She has pulled up her legs to the chair and her chin rests on her knees as she looks around the table. “And then Damian. So no starvation.”
“He might have been, before my mother put him into the Lazarus pit. It might have been hard to tell, and I was too young to understand. But not since then.” Damians posture is straight. Looking like a General, deciding on battleplans. It shouldn’t tickle Jasons inappropriate humor, but it does.
The truth is, they are both not wrong. Talia wasn’t a very hands on person. Or mother. But she made sure that the little demon got all he needed and if that gave Jason what he needed too? Even better. And yeah, Jason hadn’t secluded himself, as he noticed all his biological changes starting. Having decided to ignore it until his presentation heat hit and send him into a flying panic into Dicks protective arms.
“Why did you hide it, Tim?” Steph doesn’t really look hurt, but there is some tenseness in her shoulders. “You know I would have helped you.” She laughs and it sounds bitter. “At least I thought you would know.”
Shit. That is exactly the kind of drama he is not prepared to witness and even less to take part. Jasons tolerance for it is practically non existent anymore. This is not his circus. Not his monkeys.
“Yeah. Right.”, he clears his throat. “You guys should totally talk about that. Without me. So, I will just..”
“You will not just leave like that.”
Frowning he stops in his half assed movement to get up from his seat as Dick and Damian both questions that. The “Why not?” comes from the Alpha the same time as the pup points out: “I am not saying that Todds decisions are always the sanest, but he has proven to be able to look after himself.”
Which is basically a declaration of love and devotion coming from the little princeling. Or at least Jason likes to think about it that way. Otherwise, he would go insane. Again.
“I do, Steph. I really do. This is more about me than about you. Or the others.” Tim finally answers and now they are having two conversations that both don’t need to be happen. Not as long as Jason has to say anything about it. And no matter that his own instincts are wanting to reach out to Tim in understanding. Because in his case it also hadn’t really been about Bruce. It had been about every other adult Alpha he had ever met in his live until that point.
“I am not saying he can’t look after himself.” Bruce explains patiently, while only giving a glance to Tim and Steph. “But Omegas shouldn’t have to, if they have a stable pack. Which we are when we don’t have members hiding their designation and have us scrambling to catch up.”
Gotta love the passive aggressive gaslighting here, right? “Bruce”, he starts, suddenly feeling tired. “You have a whole ass glass case down in the cave that declares me of having been a good soldier as I died. I am perfectly able and fine to look after myself. Your demon child is not wrong. I don’t need you guys like that.” That earns him an unhappy rumbling from Dick and an aggressive shift of muscles from the pup and Jason shoots them an appeasing look. Or something that he hopes is appeasing. He isn’t the best at these kind of things. “Doesn’t mean I don’t want some of you there anyway.”
Damian sniffs and looks away while Dicks expression and endlessly deep blue eyes promise some talking in their future. Fucking hell. This whole pack was so dramatic. And no, he wasn’t in the mood to acknowledge anything about himself. Thank you very much. To his surprise, Dick refocuses. On Bruce.
“What do you mean, Omegas shouldn’t have to look after themselves? What is this? Why hasn’t it been ‘Jason shouldn’t have to look after himself’?”
Suddenly there is a transformation happening, right in front of his eyes and from one second to the next Bruce actually looks each and every one of his years as he sighs and nods. “In a perfect world and a perfect pack that would be the case. And I tried.” Their gazes meet and Jason finds himself locking up at all the feelings he sees there. Feelings he doesn’t want to acknowledge. Feelings he doesn’t want Bruce to have and even less knowing about them. Everything was so much easier without getting closer. Without opening himself up for more hurt that always comes his way again and again. “Jason”, the Alphas voice is soft. Gentle. He hates it. “It’s not like I didn’t try. I admit it might not always have been happening in a healthy way, but God I tried. And I wanted you here. Back with us.”
He turns back to Dick, who, to the Alphas credit, doesn’t look all that convinced. “It’s not about seeing him weaker as an Omega but admitting that there are different instincts as a base for them and I want to provide a safe place to do that.”
“That’s exactly why I didn’t wanted you guys to know”, Tims voice cuts into the somewhat tense and maybe thoughtful following silence. “Because you are saying that now, but you are not your own best narrator. You are overprotective and overbearing on a good day Bruce.” The kid waves a hand in Jasons direction. “Probably something that came from his death. And it’s fine, but I didn’t want to be that. I hadn’t wanted to have these fabled Omega instincts and whatever.”
“And look what it got you.” Damian answers, his green eyes flitting over Tims form in too much of a disinterest to be really truthful. “In your quest to be strong and to fight against your nature, you made yourself weak to everything you feared to begin with. I have never seen Todd give into anything, just because he is an Omega. Apparently, it’s not only Alphas but Omegas too that want to hide behind their instincts and nature. Pathetic.”
Before the little spitfire can spew out more of that, he has Dicks hand in his neck and this time it is definitely a reprimand that is felt. The pups shoulders go up, just to relax as the Alpha presses further down, showing his displeasure with that half gruff. It is pretty effective, as far as Jason can see. Which wouldn’t be a surprise. For as long as Damian was here, Jason can’t remember having seen him getting scruffed even once. Dick because he doesn’t have to, because Dami behaves around him and Bruce because he thinks scruffing is not productive. Taking away the ability to think clearly and just being all submissive wasn’t anything useful in the Packalphas eyes. Which had always been one of the very few things that he still holds Bruce high up for.
“Damian!” Steph sounds scandalized while Cass only tilts her head and watches the somewhat squirming pup as Dick grumbles a surprisingly harsh admonishment. Bruce meanwhile looks between them and rubs the bridge of his nose tiredly.
“For fucks sake”, Jason grouches out. “Can we maybe not have two discussions at once? None at all would be preferred.”
Tim, who had just glared at Damian, turns on him like a snake. “Are you really telling me you don’t hate it? To be looked at like that? Didn’t you say it yourself? That you are Jason first and Omega second? Look at them! That will never be the case!”
“You should have told me, that these are your real fears. Instead of insisting that you only presented late.” Bruce murmurs and the younger Omegas eyes light up like the fourth of July. “I am talking to Jason right now! You others have no idea what I am even talking about!”
“Not like you have that much more.” Stephs snide voice cuts in. “You were on illegal suppressants. You didn’t have any Omega instincts at all until a few days ago. That doesn’t make you exactly an expert.”
“Why don’t you tell me how you really feel, huh?” the kid shoots right back and Jason finds himself exchanging another glance with Dick over the pups head. This didn’t go in any of the directions they had talked about beforehand as possibilities. In the end it didn’t seem as if their own imagination had been enough for this shitshow.
Leaning over to Damian, he reaches out and takes Dicks hand carefully from the pups neck. “You are letting them get to you Dickie. The little demon usually doesn’t get under your skin like that.” The Alphas hand is warm in his own, as it relaxes in his grip, just as Damians shoulders do. “Don’t be so antagonizing, pup. I really can’t deal with that right now.”
Jason thinks he understand where Damian comes from. The pup had so much stuff happening to him in his short life and just started to really feel comfortable with Dick and Jason around. Had been letting his guard down and shown a few behaviors that weren’t from a miniature adult but from a pup. Playful and instinctive. And right now, that probably feels threatened. The very, very quiet murmured “My apologies, Omega. Alpha.” is very much another hint for that. The pup almost never calls them by their designations.
“Jay is right. I am sorry too, pup.” They lock gazes once more and there is a seriousness that isn’t usually seen outside of harder missions. “But I won’t back down. I can’t.”
That’s it then, is it? Dicks declaration that Damian had been right. Jason finds himself nodding before the thought is even through his whole brain. Allowing it. Giving permission, while not really being sure about what. What that permission entails. Only it feels good. There is a warm tingle along his spine, ending in him ducking down. For barely more than a second, just to hide his flush, but he notices the slight shift in Dicks posture. Message received.
Rightening himself up, he tunes back into the by now somewhat heated discussion between Steph and Tim that is by now pretty much at uselessly thrown accusations at each other. And maybe another Omega would have jumped in between that but Jason had always been deeply offended when that happened to him. Sometimes one just wants to vent and rage.
“If you two are quiet done, then Jason could answer the question.” There is enough Batman in Bruces voice to stop the escalating. “If he wants, that is.” And just like that, all the attention is on Jason again and he has to keep really still, to keep himself from squirming. He has no problem being a little shit and earn the ire of the family, but this is something different and he doesn’t like it. Is it strange to think, that it doesn’t feel safe? Shouldn’t it feel like that if he gets them all riled up and angry? But then it never does.
“Shit”, he exhales and rubs a hand through his hair in hopefully muted agitation. “Being an Omega isn’t a magic trick. I never really had a problem with it, aside from seeing some of the worst Alpha behavior to Omegas as I grew up. I couldn’t risk giving that much power to another adult Alpha, which was the reason I did go to Dick as I presented. And afterwards..”, he trails off, thinking back. “I never was on illegal suppressants or any others for that matter. I always had the fear that they would dull my senses and for me personally nothing much changed anyway. Asides from somewhat regular heats.”
“You have got to be kidding me!” The cutlery makes noise as Tims hand comes down on the table. “Stop lying! I have all these urges now! About making sure the others are safe and alright and.. and.. and still happy with me! I am purring all the freaking time! I..”, at this point the kid has honestly problems to breathe and Jason isn’t too sure what to do about that.
But before he, or anyone else for that matter, can jump on that, the younger Omega takes a deep breath and slows down. Even while Steph looks as if she wants to hover again. Still. After all these insults. He guesses that is what family and pack is all about, huh? Good for them.
“Listen kid”, he starts, again feeling invisible insects crawl along under his skin over all that laser focus on him. “It’s not like I am saying that I don’t have these instincts. It’s just..”, he stops, thinking how to best express himself. “I kinda always had them? There wasn’t a switch overnight and I was a new kid. Sure..”, he shrugs his shoulders. “I admit from there on it felt better to get scented. As if it now had some deeper meaning or something, but it wasn’t anything that did throw me off. I was always anal about keeping my people save. I always set my priorities on kids and the people that got it the hardest. Like prostitutes or homeless people. And heats are just there for a few days. The worst had been the first ones, as I came back to Gotham and had to spend them alone. That’s pretty much it.”
Tim stares at him for a long moment, the eyes full of intelligent calculation. Putting every possible spin on his words that is out there. Until his eyes narrow. “But that is not completely the truth, isn’t it?” His focus turns first to Damian, who is still pretending to be a stone statue and then to Dick, who sits in attention but so far has kept out of the whole discussion. “Dick?”
The Alpha returns the look calmly, before shrugging. “I just did what I learned while growing up. In the circus there were lots of Omegas. I never wondered as a kid, but looking back, it had been still different times. A lot of them had to be runaways from home. And it was just normal I guess?” He puts his hand back into Damians neck, but this time his thumb is rubbing in a massaging way over the probably wired muscles. “Everyone just looked out for each other. It didn’t matter much what the designations were. My mother was a Beta and my dad an Alpha. They taught me that it was an Alphas honor and privilege to look out for the pack. To be.. the net that is there, even when it’s not needed. I took that and applied it to Jason.”
He wants to reach out and rub Dicks glands, knowing that the Alpha usually prefers to talk about his early years at his own pace and only when he is in the correct headspace. Mostly it is Damian that got to hear a few stories and Jason with him or later from the pup with proudly put up chest.
Also, he can see it. There are a few things that he noticed and let slide. There are also things that Dick does for him, that he never notices until much later and that never seem worth to bring up, because they were fine. Dick as Alpha is most likely just as protective and overbearing as every other, only that he found a way to incorporate that without taking away Jasons freedom and decisions.
Is it strange that he never thought about it in these terms before?
“So, you did it all anyway but in secret?” Tim demands to know and Jason huffs out a laugh. “I know it might be rich, coming from me, but put aside all that emotional bullshit. Dick didn’t do shit to me in secret or did go behind my back. He just did go about it in a way that didn’t have me up all arms in defense about my independence.” He really, really can’t stop the somewhat fond smile. “Dick was pretty good at keeping just enough distance to pull me back in, whenever I needed it and was at a point to not fight it anymore.”
“So you had these moments too.” Steph points out and this time it is Jason that shrugs. “Sure, I am just not sure if they were purely Omegan moments? I was an emotional teenager that did go out crimefighting at night that had more and more discussions with Bruce about how to handle it. I knew that Dick wouldn’t judge me, so I went to him whenever it got too much.”
“Maybe it was being a teenager”, Cass muses, slowly circling her spoon in her cup. “But Omega and Teenager both would go to their Alpha for comfort.”
“Yes”, Bruce nods, looking forth and back between them. “They would.”