Chapter Text
The collaboration was…complicated. They were way of him, obviously, and no matter how brave Red Robin tried to be, Jason could practically see the tension rolling off him each time he was around. Not like he was any better, the youngest Wayne stressed him out. It was fine most of the time but sometimes, a hint of League accent or Al Ghul arrogance slipped through the nestling’s mask and Jason reacted. He stood straighter, muscles tense and he knew they all noticed. Heck, it must have already been added to the ‘Red Hood’ file he was sure they had.
But his reactions seemed to have make Dickwing pity him. The annoyance that was his ex big brother keep trying to befriend him like he was just a misunderstood feral dog. That was (endearing-) pissing him off. He couldn’t understand it. They hated him before and now that? Maybe asking about the Replacement made Dick think he was still redeemable.
He hard that the thought made him swell with hope. It shouldn’t. Hope only hurt an it was clearly unfounded, the Red Hood was a monster. Bats locked monsters up, it was how it is.
Except all the emotional trouble, it was working out fine in terms of the mission. He never removed his mask, even in the Cave. Especially in the Cave ; the thing helped remind him it was purely professional. They were just tolerating him because Batman wasn’t here to protest and they didn’t have any other choices. That was it and he couldn’t forget.
Jason sighed, shaking himself out of his thoughts. He stretched his wings slightly, pulling his hood even lower and walked up to the Batcomputer to see where they were in terms of locating Scarecrow. The bastard seemed to have planned this one well, even with his contacts in the black market they couldn’t locate him. One relief is that the joker was still locked up ; Jason was practically obsessive in checking the cell cameras on his phone and he hasn’t moved.
Well that and he was also happy he got Harley and Ivy out of trouble with the Bats (for now). His friend/therapist agreed to patrol for him while he handled the Bat issue and Pamela started on greening up his turf (he finally got first name privileges!).
Not the point. Anyway, he went for the Batchair and froze. The kid sitting in said chair was so still Jason doubted he was breathing. No wonder he had not noticed him, the chick was practically a statue, scarred face looking up at him behind a domino mask.
Jason huffed, wings folding in just a little tighter against his back to appear smaller on instincts. He looked away, voice gruff, as he mumbled. « Didn’t mean to scare you kid. Havent seen you here. » He winced under the hood, his mask made him sound a bit too rough.
« Its fine » the kid mumbled. « We are working together, I should stop treating you like the enemy ». The last sentence sounded like it wasn’t meant for him to hear and Jason sighed. Making sure his hands were visible at all time, he crouched down in front of the Batchair For once he was glad he had some experiences with traumatized children.
« For fuck sake, Red Robin », he gruffly said. « You have every right to be scared of me. Don’t force yourself » He would have run a hand through his hair if it didn’t remove his hood so he absently ruffled his forearms feathers instead. He certainly didn’t want to remove what was covering his neck feathers. They tended to betray his feelings way too much for comfort. « And for what its worth, I am sorry. I didn’t meant to hit you, I don’t attack fledglings usually »
Well that certainly seemed to surprise Tim. Jason rolled his eyes under his mask. It was obvious he didn’t mean to, why was the kid surprised he apologized? He said it himself. They were allies, he was just trying to make it work.
Red Robin shook his head. « Anyway, why do you need the Batcomputer for? », a clear change of topic but he didn’t call him out on it. « Wanted to see if there was any news. My men and Harley havent see shit and rogues aren’t quiet usually. Its grating my nerves »
« That is for sure », the chick grumbled, looking a bit more comfortable. Not much, but Jason will take it gladly. « And no, nothing. Dead silent. Like he never escaped. »
Jason hissed in annoyance. « For once that the Bat isn’t around, the madman has to change his M.O and lay low. I hate the Batman but damn he does do a good job. Can’t you call him? »
Tim looked ready to defend Bruce but the attack was apparently not virulent enough to be worth an argument so he just sighed and rolled his eyes. Sassy brat, Jason thought with almost fondness. « No. We don’t even know where in space he is. Its radio silent from his size. »
Of course it is. Because Jason is bloody cursed and the world hate him. He chittered unhappily, feathers puffing up. The boy was staring at him, eyes narrowed in curious focus. « How can you make such noises? Can you make other inhuman sounds? Is it your throat or vocal cords that are differently shaped? Maybe your mouth, we never seen it…Do you- » The kid seemed to have forgotten his fear of him for a moment. Well they did say the newly dubbed Red Robin was very smart.
But Jason wasn’t thinking about that now. He was far from that. The questions about his anatomy just reminded him of the League scientists opening his back to see the flight muscles here. They asked the same questions to themselves while they worked. Hitting his wings so he flexed them and they could see the inner motions while his throat was sore from screaming.
But it wasn’t that. There wasn’t blades, or a table with restrains. Just innocent questions. He took a deep breath and, voice a bit rough around the edges, he gave the kid an answer. He owed him at least that. « My mouth is normal, except the shapeup my teeth. They are pointier. From what the psychos that did this to me understood, the sounds I make come from a…syrinx I think its called? A set of muscles at the base of my trachea. I have vocals cords to talk, and a syrinx to vocalize. »
The chick looked fascinated. He seemed to understand from his tone that he wasn’t fan of being inspected like as he didn’t ask more questions. But he did seemed to take notes in his mind and Jason heart clenched at being looked at with innocent fascination instead of fear, disgust or greed. It was a…nice change of pace. Surprisingly.
Jason instinctively ruffled the kid hair, like he did with Alex. He stopped when the kid tensed under him. Of course, he is an idiot, the kid is probably scared of his talons, he should-
The kid leaned into the touch, looking at him with wide eyes. Fuck. How badly did B had to fuck up for the eaglet to lean into the touch of the hand that permanently disfigured him? Now Jason wanted to bundle the kid in his nest and preen and cuddle him to hell and back. Like he was one of his.
Jason cooed and chirped, a wing all puffed up and warm wrapped around Tim, who was too tired to protest.
And when Dick came down to the Cave in a panic to have left his little brother with a crime lord, ally or not, he found instead that the capes of everyone that owned them was a pile on the floor now. A rambling Tim in the middle of them was getting his hair preened while asking questions after questions about « flight maneuvers » and « talons’ molecular constitution » to a grumpy looking Red Hood that still answered. Dick huffed, amused. It was so obvious the criminal was trying to pretend he didn’t care, it was funny. Dick left quietly after that, not wanting to disturb them. He could work on the case with Alfred and Dami, Tim deserved a break.
Maybe the Red Hood wasn’t that bad after all.