Going to Star City was precisely what Roy had needed. Dinah kept the boys busy while spoiling her granddaughter. Oliver was there sometimes, behaving as Dinah made it clear she was not putting up with any fighting, but Roy had to bury his face in Jason's neck to hide a smile when Oliver had fallen asleep holding Lian. Pictures of that were saved by all members of Roy's family who were there.
With hugs given to Mia and Dinah, as Mia was staying behind for another week before her classes started again, Roy and Jay got to head home. It was on the way that he had brought the idea up. Wanting Jason to come with him to visit Croc, as he has done it every year since he met Waylon.
He didn't expect any argument from his boyfriend, he knew Jason well enough that Jason knew how important it was to him, and inviting Jason to see Waylon meant a lot more than a family trip. It was another area of Roy's life Jason was being tugged into. Roy Harper respected Waylon Jones so much more than Bruce Wayne or Oliver Queen. It was why as much as he bitches about Crane being Jay's doctor, he's never fully serious. Waylon helped him a lot with seeing the big bads are human too.
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Gotham was mostly recovered after the Scarecrow's attack, it had been one of his biggest yet, and Crane was back in Arkham. Jason could deal with Bruce later, the damage was easily ignored by the Gothamites, they were used to these attacks. Traffic knew how to move along.
The box with cupcakes was held by Roy, wanting Jason to carry Lian. Signing in for him and Jason, both their ID's tossed down. If Jason's ID was fake, he'd never say. Roy used his real name here, as he did almost everywhere, but part of that was to assure no one messed with Waylon. The Queen heir visiting the man and threatening lawyers every time they even so much as talked bad about Waylon around him? They knew to behave, as much as Black Gate behaves.
"This is going to be so great, babe." He grinned at Jason once they were in the visiting line. They only had an hour, and as long as Waylon wasn't pulled to solitary, it would be fine. "How's our princess holding up?"
Really, a vacation had been exactly what Jason had needed, as well. A step back from the chaos and grime of Gotham and a family that had welcomed him into their arms like his own never could. Even with Ollie's occasional ignorant one-liners that he tried to pass off as 'jokes', it was still so overwhelmingly reassuring to know that his place at Roy's side was accepted by the others who shared his brilliant boyfriend's life. Cooking with Dinah was almost as soothing as cooking with Alfred, and the chorus of Roy and Mia in the other room was a perfect counterpoint.
Taking Lian back from Dinah the morning of their return trip home had been hard, but he'd quietly nodded when the older woman had taken his face in her hands and demanded that he promise to come back soon. It was almost too much, that fierce emotion in her eyes, but she'd accepted his nod for the promise it was and had turned her attention to Roy.
Getting back to Gotham had been...complicated. It was always nice to be surrounded by his city again, but seeing the aftermath of Doc's attack sparked guilt in his gut. He couldn't have stopped it, he knew that, but the East End was always one of the places that got hit the worst. Even if Doc hadn't targeted them specifically, the shitty infrastructure took it's own toll. Gotham liked to sweep her unfortunates to the background, after all. Out of sight, out of mind.
His first several days back had been spent almost entirely doing clean up. He let his distribution work on a skeleton crew, pulling everyone else to his clinics and his safe usage sites, or simply having them roll up their sleeves and start digging through the aftermath by his side. The wound on his back was angry at all the not resting he was doing, but for as much as there was to do, Roy picked up that box of cupcakes and Jason scrubbed the grime off himself to look a little more presentable.
While Roy signed them in -Jace Peters, his current legal alias. It was as close to his real name as he could get. He was still legally dead, after all, though Bruce had been making comments that would suggest he could do something about that- Jason found them a spot to wait, settling their daughter on his lap as he pulled out one of the many big cardboard books he'd picked up to start her library. He read softly, smiling as she batted at the pictures and letting her work out how to turn the thick pages on her own.
He looked up when Roy rejoined them, his lopsided smile tired, but genuine. "She's fine. Freshly changed and ready to be adorable for her adoring fans. That little nap in the car did the trick, I think."
Roy knew coming home would be hard. While Star City was his home on record, the reservation actually held that honor in his heart. One day, he would take Jason to meet his brother, when he introduced Jason to Bird, that was when Roy Harper would likely have to express how important that was. Bird was the son of Brave Bow, and someone who had put Roy out more than once but always let him back in.
Dinah however, had shown her love for Jason, holding his face in her hands to show how precious he was. Seeing how happy Roy and her new Granddaughter were? That was Jason. Roy was shining again like he did years ago, no longer the shadow of the boy. The love he had for Jason showed, and he was happy again, so Jason was family now. Dinah had gifted Roy a new drum set, that was being shipped to their new home once they chose it. A wink to Jason when Roy had tested it out too. Who knows how she knew.
"Want me to take her for awhile, Jace?" Roy asked, smiling at his boyfriend, he knew his back had to be hurting from the injury, the green eyes on him and Lian who was making some happy noises trying to sound out the words Jason was saying. She had her father's mind clearly, which did worry Roy. She was going to be too smart for her own good too quickly. "It seems so, and maybe my prince can take a little nap in the car after we see her favorite uncle." The door starting to open as Waylon was brought in with some other criminals at other tables as Roy waved him over. "Take the chains off him now!" Roy snapped at them. "I've told you how I feel about that." The sharp tone Jason so rarely gets to hear, this was the Prince of Star City speaking, less his playful genius, but Jason knew how he hated them mistreating Waylon.
Even when the security was justified, Roy disagreed.
Oh, his face had felt on fire when Dinah had winked at him, but he was looking forward to watching Roy at the drums in their own home. They had to pick a place first, but Jason needed to help patch his city back together before he could think about setting up house tours.
Sleeping with a crib in the bedroom again was incentive, though. His injury and the fact that they were Dinah's house had curbed most things on their vacation, but he'd gotten used to feeling Roy's skin against his own again.
"Nah, we're alright. I'm sure Waylon is going to want to hold her once he gets here. Plus, I already have the book out." He smiled up at his boyfriend before he bowed his head to kiss their daughter's head as she babbled. It was getting closer and closer to real words every day and Jason had never been so excited for a thing.
He'd gone back to encouraging her words by reading...but then the door was opening and his attention was sharply focused once more on Roy. Gone was his goofy, laid back boyfriend...and Jason couldn't help his smile at the way the guards were quick to listen to the man's barked order. He wasn't going to embarrass Roy in front of Waylon by saying anything, but he did love watching his boyfriend throw his weight around.
While the guards removed the chains, Jason closed the now forgotten book. Lian had seen Waylon and she was already reaching for him. It was...a complicated sensation. On one hand, the man had bodied him into walls and threatened to eat him more time than he wanted to remember back when he'd been Robin...but he also knew that a lot of that had been his own fault. And Roy's testimony meant worlds more to him than whatever files he'd once read on Bruce's system. So while he was still a little unsure of his welcome, he still stood and reached out a hand for the other man to shake.
The Arrows were such an open family for all of their issues, they all knew things most wouldn't about their relatives. Hell, Dinah never legally married Oliver, but Roy considered her the closest to a mom he ever had. As did Mia at this point.
Roy knew the city came first, even he knew not to mention the mess Crane had made of the city. It almost seemed like most of the damage was not in the cheaper areas this time, but all around the city. That was why Roy was looking on Zillow and making calls himself. Working with a realtor planning to show Jason once, they narrowed down a few choices and give the final say to Jason. He wanted to help, and finding them a place where he and Jason can sleep comfortable and know their daughter was safe? Priority number one for him.
Plus, it was SO hard for him to behave at Dinah's, having Jason's skin against him again was a rush. Though with that injury and all, he behaved.
"You know he will. Who can resist holding our little squeaker?" He spoke with a touch of pride. "You're going to have her talking back to us before she walks... which I'm oddly cool with." Jason could absolutely tease him in the car, though. Roy so rarely liked to use the act, but he was a natural when he does.
"I told you she liked you, Waylon." Roy spoke with an amused tone, as that big hand came down and ruffled Roy's hair, through the hat on his head. Roy didn't even flinch, he trusted Waylon completely. The man turning to reach for Lian.
"Well, look who came to see old Waylon." The man spoke, before looking at Jace. "You must be the one I heard so much about." A look in his eyes, almost like he knows exactly who he's talking to, but did he? Holding a hand out to offer a shake then. "Best take care of these two, understood?" Oliver would never give Jason the shotgun speech, he just bitches to Bruce. Waylon? He wanted to see Roy stay clean, so Jason had to be vetted, and that big hand intended to squeeze.
"He does, I promise you that, Waylon. The best guy I could ever hope for." Roy spoke and gave Jason a playful, almost coy look. He didn't care about flirting in the prison.
The thing was, Jason trusted Roy's work with finding a house for them completely. The man had so little faith in himself, but Jason never doubted him. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Roy would find a safe, healthy place for them to raise their daughter. The fact that Jason was dealing with the aftermath of Halloween and the Bat's irrational need to know why he'd left during such a well known dangerous time was unfortunate, but he knew that he could count on his partner to keep their lives moving smoothly.
Still, he was looking forward to being able to just do a basic patrol and then come home to his family. Or, even better, kiss Arsenal good luck and then keep an eye on the man as he galivanted through the city while rocking their daughter to sleep. Maybe meet Roy at the door with a 'you didn't die' kiss before banishing the man to the shower and after, a plate of food. Being a house husband would suit him well.
Wait.
Before he really had a chance to process that thought and the twist of emotion it caused in his gut, Waylon was there and Jason forced himself back into the game. The grip on his hand helped with that, his bones grinding uncomfortably, but he didn't shy away from it or pull away. He deserved a little testing after their rather complicated history.
"I don't know about 'best', but I can promise to do everything in my power to make sure they're safe and well. They're my world. Those who're important to them are important to me." The 'which includes you' was left off, but it was still there. He waited until he'd passed Lian over to Waylon's secure hold and the large man's attention was on the baby before he shot a glance over to Roy and shook out his hand.
One day, all that trust that Jason gives Roy might help him regrow his faith in himself, but that had been lacking since before a young Robin was laid in the ground far too soon. Gone even before he tried to teach him to use a bow one random afternoon when a picture was snapped of him, Jason and Dick moments before Bruce came out demanding Roy leave. So many mistakes of the past.
Roy knew Jason was having it rough, and if he could make it happen, he would make his boyfriend a house husband, last name and all. Harper might not be worth much as a name, but he'd offer it to Jason one day. Or just offer to hyphen Todd on his own. Which was harder with Jason dead, but if Bruce wouldn't fix it maybe he could go fight with Oliver to get it done.
Roy was smiling as he watched Waylon try to snap Jason's hand, before picking up Lian like she was the most precious thing. Careful with his claws as he held her and sat down, making little noises at her. Roy's smile moved to Jason. "I said what I meant, babe."
Waylon looked up and gave a toothy grin at Jason's reply. "Stole the words right out of my mouth, kiddo. You keep my boy on the straight and narrow, and take care of this little girl and you and me are right as rain." Waylon was less angry these days, he needed a reason to really rip into someone. Helping Roy had helped Waylon help himself. "Sit down, tell me what you are all here for?" He asked as Roy slid the cupcake over to him, as Roy nodded to the seat next to him for Jason to take.
They could rebuild each other, piece by piece. And the pieces that were missing, they'd find a way to fill in together. Their daughter needed them and they were both already wrapped so tightly around those pudgy little fingers.
All three of them, if Waylon's cooing was to be listened to. The man had mellowed with age. With incarceration? Maybe just with time and Roy to help take care of. The man was still huge and intimidating as hell...but watching him cuddle Lian eased the last few misgivings he had. Everyone deserved a second chance, right? He was a firm believer in that.
Even if that person had bodied him into many a brick wall.
Sitting down next to the other man, he reached over to nudge that cupcake a little closer, while also out of the way of reaching baby fists.
"We're here because birthday cupcakes are meant to be shared with family. Isn't that right, baby girl..." The last was said with a wiggled finger at Lian. She giggled and waved at him, but he was second fiddle to Waylon at the moment. The older man had all her focus and Jason felt himself relax a little more as he watched the two interact.
He waited a bit, letting Roy and Waylon catch up as he picked at his cupcake. He had a plan....but he wanted to wait for the right time because he hadn't actually spoken to Roy about it. It was a surprise for him just as much as it was a surprise for Waylon.
"Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about, Waylon. Roy tells me you're up for parole in a few months? Well...we're looking to move some place a little quieter. For Lian. And I wanted to offer you a landing pad until you get your feet back under you. For as long as you need."
Waylon had had time to mellow some, lots of solitary confinement. Having been transferred from Arkham, where he had some of the rogues he considered friends, to Blackgate after he bit off Aaron Cash's hand. That had been hard on Waylon. No one really cared to see the man behind the scales.
Roy's visits helped when he was allowed inside. Hearing about the baby had been a shock, but it shouldn't have been. Waylon knew how bad Roy had gotten when he hit the bottom. A fall that had made them the closest to family Waylon had. Next to some of the rogues, who always demand he never say anything. All of them, so careful about showing their softer sides for attack.
Roy, he didn't give a damn what anyone thought. Though, Jason knows he actually does. He just plays it better than it really is. Waylon chuckled as Lian tried to get the cupcake, keeping her safe in his arms. "You want a bite, baby girl?" He asked that Louisiana bleeding heavily as he lifted it. Not asking before tearing a small bit off for her with one of his claws and offering it, careful as can be. "Family, huh? I like that." He responded, eating the rest himself, showing he was serious.
Roy slipping his hand into Jason's and squeezing. Clearly happy as could be. This was what he wanted for his birthday, and he had no complaints. Those he cared about short of Dinah and Mia were here. Though, both Waylon and Roy looked at Jason with wider eyes.
"That's a fantastic idea, babe." Roy sounded so proud of Jason. "And I'm going to do my best to be at that hearing, Waylon, but if I can't, I will send a video statement." He knows Oliver will try something.
"I couldn't impose on y'all like that." Waylon spoke, almost sounding worried about being a burden. "Your neighbors would be scared seein' me."
"Fuck them, your family to us. Right, baby?" Roy looked at Jason, smile full of affection for his boyfriend.
Roy and Jason had not been in their new home long. It was a four bedroom, which was more than what they needed, but Roy wanted Jason to have a library and whatever else he might want, Lian had her own room, which was full of toys and painted colorfully.
The basement being converted into a space for Waylon for when his parole comes up, it was growing closer each day, but he wouldn't be there by Christmas, mid-January at best.
The living room was done up in true Christmas cheer, a fake tree that lit up and the lights played to whatever music Roy or Jason had going. Roy and Mia had gone and spent a lot of Oliver's money on gifts and ornaments. This was the first year in many that Roy refused to go to Star City, he was staying home with his family.
When dawn broke, the Archer quickly slipped out of bed, kissing Jason softly. "Time to get up, Baby." Another kiss before Roy pulled on his pajama pants, not bothering with underwear or a shirt, it would just slow him down. Hurrying as, he heard Lian whimpering on the baby monitor.
"There's my little squeaker, how did daddies angel sleep tonight?" He asked, his voice could be heard on the baby monitor as he changed her and put her in her little Christmas dress. Carrying Lian down to wait for Jason with the Grinch playing on the TV.
When presents started, Lian needed help from both, but the girl had many gifts, excitedly playing with a little rubber duck that squeaked. While her father handed a box of Jason, it was wrapped in red and black. "This is for you. There are others, but this is the important one."
Inside was what looked like a pocket watch. A lot like Alfred's, but clearly not. An extra loop at the bottom to make the chain switch into a wristband. The outside was etched in a fire design, on one side, and 'Your home is with us' etched on the back. Inside was a picture of all three of them sitting together on Roy's birthday. A picture Dinah had taken. Sealed in place forever with some epoxy. The watch itself? A smartwatch Roy had somehow slipped inside an old-fashioned watch. "Merry Christmas, Jaybird. Love you."
Of course, the other present from Roy, was a second edition Russian printing of Emma by Jane Austen, but he was prouder of the watch as he had mostly made the changes himself.
Winter in Gotham was temperamental at best, one minute a perfect dusting of icing sugar on the gargoyles, the next up to one's knees in slush the consistency of a half melted slush puppy. There was nothing in between, nor was there anything in between a pleasantly brisk breeze or a frigid wind that whipped any loose clothing against exposed skin hard enough to leave red marks. Living in it was exhausting, patrolling in it was even worse.
But every once in a while, the stars aligned and the result was a toddler park with a few inches of pillowy soft snow that was perfect for little bodies stuffed into snow suits to make snow angels. The group was relatively small, a handful of kids all romping and squealing and slipping all over themselves while corresponding parents tried to keep the mayhem to a minimum.
Among the bundled up adults Jason could see the wild red of his boyfriend's hair poking out from under his ever present trucker cap. He'd made Roy wear one of his jackets, though he was pretty sure that it had been unzipped somewhere between chasing Lian under the swing bridge and teaching her how to pack the perfect snowball. Eh. It was still on, it was about as much as he could ask for. He loved the man, but honestly he didn't understand how the red head hadn't frozen to death years ago.
Jason himself was hovering near the fence, nursing a large paper cup of something that steamed in his hands as he alternated between watching his daughter and the love of his life frolic in the snow...and the path from the main gate. His stomach was tied in several hard knots and he sipped at his tea to try and soothe them, but to anyone who knew him well enough, he was anxious.
Growing up in Star City, Roy wasn't really bothered by the cold, granted the pacific north-west was a different beast than Gotham. He had put the jacket on for Jason's sake, but it was zipped pretty quick once they were in the park, and he was chasing Lian around.
She was wearing a little snowsuit with bear ears and a fur lining around the hood. Giggling madly as she led her father around the little park. At first, glance one wouldn't realize she was Roy's, she took after her mother in looks, but she had Roy's green eyes and his boundless energy. As Lian tumbled a little he caught her and tossed her up in the air, catching her as she made a happy squeal. Looking back to Jason as he offered a grin his way, putting Lian back down to gather some snow for snow balls.
He had been concerned when Jason brought them, lord knows he didn't have a good history with his past drug addiction. From being a bad influence on Dick the years they were friends, to turning mercenary with Jason when they reunited. He felt Wayne had every reason to not want him around his son, but Roy wasn't going anywhere. Even Oliver had given up on making Roy stay away from Jason, more so with his granddaughter now in the picture. It had been a long time since his last relapse, Lian was proof of that, not that Roy talks about it, but he didn't regret it. She was the ball of sunshine in their dark dreary world.
Jason said their start time was 2:00. Bruce was there no later than 1:30. It gave him time to surveil the park. To note the entrances and exits and to make sure there wasn't anyone there who wasn't supposed to be. Jason would probably have called him paranoid for it. But Bruce hasn't lasted this long without a little paranoia to keep him always alert.
There are already people here and Bruce spends all that extra time noting them, their appearance and which way they'd entered the park from. It was habit by now; sometimes he didn't realize he was doing it. It made the waiting easier to endure when he had something to occupy his time with.
And maybe it helped to settle his nerves a little bit. When he spots Jason and his family next, he takes a moment to observe, to get a feel for their dynamic so he'd know how to approach them.
Of all his children, Jason was the last Bruce would have ever considered becoming a father (something he'd never admit to anyone). And it wasn't that he thought Jason wouldn't be good at it. But his life as Red Hood never seemed to have room in it for children. Not any he had to look after beyond saving them from catastrophe. But Bruce had never been happier to see that he was wrong.
Finally, at 1:57, Bruce decides it's time to make himself known so he approaches, though not from the main gate where Jason seems to be looking. He's bundled himself, expensive tailored coat layered over his expensive tailored suit. And underneath his arm is a small, but brightly wrapped present. "Jason," he says as a way to greet his son and for once, he's smiling. Even if it's a faint one.
The park itself wasn't particularly large, tucked between buildings on a residential street in the Eastend. Once upon a time, an apartment building had been there, but it had been demolished at some point and Red Hood had taken the time and effort to turn the eyesore of a garbage filled empty lot into a neighborhood green area. Half of it had been fenced off for a small playground, the rest had raised beds for a communal garden. The beds were covered to protect them from the snow, but the area was still neat and perfectly presentable.
There were no 'neighborhood watch' signs like on the sad excuses that the city had tried to build, but some of the older kids had etched thick bats in red chalk on the corners of the fence that corralled the play area. It was sign enough.
Jason had turned away from the main path at the sound of Lian's happy squeal, his lips drawing up into a smile as he blew a kiss at the little girl. She laughed and picked up a handful of snow, kissing it with an exaggerated 'MUAH!' sound....before lobbing the little ball at him. It missed him, of course, but he was still laughing when he heard the sound of someone coming through the gate. He turned, his face still bright with laughter.
"Hey. Should have known you'd come as soon as everyone got settled." His smile faded a little, but didn't disappear entirely, and he did reach out to ward another one of the parents off from coming over to tell Bruce to beat it. "Easy, Erika. This is my dad. Lian's granddad." Her eyes widened a little as she looked between the two, but then she just patted Jay's shoulder before turning to head back to where she'd been talking with another parent.
"I thought I said we weren't going to make a big deal out of this?" He eyed the brightly colored gift, but his smirk was still there. "We've only been here for about ten minutes, so Lian and Roy are still getting their zoomies out. One word about Roy and so help me, I'll pack my family up and leave, Bruce. I mean it."
Jason had given Roy a reason to stay clean and get his life back together. Lian gave him a reason to try to grow up as much as he could while still being himself. He and Oliver still fought like cats and dogs, but at the end of the day, he knew his adopted father would have his back.
He didn't expect the same of Bruce given his history with Dick, and now Jason. Recovery was hard, and he had burned a lot of bridges. Enough that he would rather have Waylon Jones around his daughter than Bruce and Oliver. In truth, he didn't want to be here, he didn't want Lian here, but they were here for Jason. Lian certainly had her father's boundless energy and the throwing snowballs at each other was more comical than not as Roy over played any that hit him, throwing himself back in the snow so she'd come to check on him, before covering her cheeks in kisses.
This worked until she saw Jayjay with a man who looked like him with what was clearly a present. Lian tugged his sleeve as Roy say up, snow all over him, his hat in the snow leaving his long red hair wild. Seeing Bruce his smile frowned. "That's your other grandpa, Squeaker, you can go meet him with Jayjay." He kissed the top of her head, and grabbed his hat, watching her make her way over just in case anyone tried anything, but Roy stayed where he was sitting in the snow.
Bruce had opinions. Opinions he knew would be best kept to himself. Right now, it didn't matter what he thought. It wasn't as important as bridging the chasm between Jason and himself. He must've looked so out of place here to the other parents, all crisp lines and pressed suits against the very ordinary backdrop of the park. So it doesn't surprise him when the woman approaches and he's fully prepared to turn up the charm to diffuse her aggression.
But, turns out, he didn't need to. Jason putting his neck out for him makes him feel warmer despite the snow. He didn't have to do that, but that he did felt good.
The child, Bruce spent a little time investigating. Jason had given him so little to work with that finding out anything seemed impossible. Didn't mean he didn't try, though. She seemed a happy, well cared for kid and that set him at ease. Roy, well he didn't have much to say about Roy. He watches Lian and Roy romp around in the snow before turning back to Jason.
"Don't worry, I'm not here for that. I just wanted to see you."
But it's a thought he does not finish because he can hear a soft crunching in the snow and he catches sight of Lian coming closer to investigate him. Bruce smiles and kneels down to meet her. "Hello, Lian. My name is Bruce." He offers the present and watches as she tears open the paper to find an age appropriate book bundled with a plushie of the main character.
"Your dad likes to read, so tell him to read this to you. Okay?"
Bruce had opinions. Bruce always had opinions. About his work, about his methods and limits, and now about his personal life. He could practically feel the opinions bubbling in his dad's chest, but Jason had had plenty of years of practice to treat them like they weren't there.
As long as Bruce could be civil, he could be as well. Mostly. Sometimes.
"No, you wanted to meet your granddaughter. I'm just an additional bonus." He smirked, the words holding almost no heat to them despite the fact that they very easily could. He understood, though. Lian was more important than their bullshit.
As the little girl toddled over, Jason glanced over her head to her father. He knew how much Roy hated feeling judged by Bruce, how many bad memories of being told to leave the Manor it dragged up. But those memories would never be replaced if Roy wasn't willing to trust Jason to protect him from that judgement. He wouldn't push, but he took one hand out of his pocket so that if Roy did decide to join them, it would be there for him.
Because like hell was Jason going to hide the man he loved.
Paying no attention to either of her fathers, Lian had none of the usual amount of fear as she toddled up to the kneeling man. Her life hadn't been like most and her confidence showed even this young. She was not going to grow to be a shy wallflower, this one. The book got a smile and the plushie immediately got it's very first hug and then the girl was holding her gift laden arms up to Jason with an expectant 'Jayjay!'.
Bruce had probably never seen his son's face so soft as when he leaned down to pick up his daughter. "Hey, my little Squeaker. Did Grandpa get you a book? And a stuffie?!? You're making out like a little bandit. Why don't we put those in the backpack so they don't get wet, baby? Did you say 'thank you'?" It was not how most people would speak to an almost two year old, but she was not a normal almost two year old.
Roy had always admired Bruce, back when he was younger anyway. Back when Oliver had first introduced him as Speedy to everyone. When he saw the world through rose-tinted glasses. Dick Grayson had quickly become his best friend, despite how far Gotham and Star City were apart.
The trouble had started when Oliver abbandoned him in the manor to go on his journey of self discovery with Hal Jordon. Roy had joined a band; Great Frog, and toured with them despite being a minor as no one was around to pay attention. That was when he got on the heroin. Hal found out before Oliver, and when Oliver found out, he put Roy on the streets and told him not to come back.
The Titan's barred him as his addiction got worse. It was Dinah that pulled him off the streets and forced him to go cold turkey. Which never worked. He had his clean spells, one such spell was before Dick had left Bruce's care, he had stayed a few days and spent time with his best friend before going back to the band. He had heard Dick being told to be careful around him as he was bad news. So he swore to himself he'd never return.
Yet, he did. A year or so later, with Dick to meet Dick's new little brother, Jason. It had been a mostly fun day, trying to teach Jason archery, then sitting out front with Dick and Jason. At least until one of them asked Alfred to take a picture, just after it was snapped, Bruce had come out, asking Roy to leave. Oliver had called and told Bruce about Roys most recent relapse. The words spoken between the two would never be spoken to Dick or Jason, but he refused to ever step food in the manor if Bruce was there. Even when they took Lian to meet Alfred, Roy was uncomfortable. He didn't want to come between Jason and his family so he worked hard to push Jason to visit and talk to them. Even when he refused to join. He'd rather spend Christmas at Blackgate with Waylon Jones than visit Wayne Manor.
The catalyst was Jason's death. He didn't know the kid well, but when Jason died, Roy lost it. Seeing Dick practically break, and the other Titans in morning, Roy started drinking on top of his drug use, and tried to commit suicide via Croc to spare the world the mess he was. It was Waylon who got him into rehab knowing the best thing for Roy. The man was still Roy's sponsor to this day.
Years later, when the Red Hood saved him from execution when no one else would? He swore himself to Jason, his new best friend and partner for life. He was still upset at Bruce, hell Oliver too, but Oliver was his only living father, so what could he do there?
Silently praying Mia would call, and he could at least walk off and lean on the mustang. Instead, he offered a pathetic wave when the eyes landed on him. He smiled, though, watching Lian interact with Bruce and Jason. Pushing off the snow when he saw her heading for her backpack. "Need a hand, squeaker?" He asked as she hurried over to show him what she got, as he kneeled to open the bag for her.
Whispering something in Navajo to her, he had been teaching her to keep his first adopted father's language in the family. Lian looked back at Bruce with big eyes, running back over to hug his legs. Roy slipping the kiddie backpack over his shoulder, a comical sight given the bag was the same size as his bicep. Lian calling out the words in her best little ability. One Jason has heard Roy say often, ayóó ánííníshní 'Love'. Roy may have his issues, but he wouldn't have them affect his baby girl. If Bruce was going to be her grandfather, than he'd show her she needed to love the man.
If asked, Bruce would readily say he had a great deal of sympathy for Roy Harper. Bruce has seen what addiction can do to people. He's seen the very lowest lows of people who couldn't escape it. But his sympathy was not a deep well. Nor is it endlessly extended. And more than once, Roy had hit that limit. Sometimes hard.
So if there were warnings, Bruce felt like they were necessary.
Jason, however, never listened. So Bruce isn't terribly surprised at this turn of events. He just hopes Jason's careful, especially now that there's a child involved. Another opinion to be kept to himself. He didn't want an end to this meeting prematurely. Not when he feels like there might be a moment of reconnecting with the son he missed.
Lian gets a smile when her arms wrap around his leg. Bruce stoops, scoops the girl up into a proper hug and there's just a hint of a smile before he sets her down again. When he straightens up, to Jason he says, "Thanks for inviting me."
A great deal of sympathy...but no will to actually help him. Roy had slipped through the cracks of a system that shouldn't have had any cracks to begin with. Dick had tried to keep Roy's addiction away from Jason, his older brother knowing full well exactly what the death of Catherine had done to him.
It had only made him more mad when he'd found out. You didn't treat addiction by isolating it. By kicking literal children out into the streets so they didn't sully a 'good' name. He'd blown up on Dick when he'd finally learned the truth, accusing him and Bruce both of being part of the problem instead of the solution.
His solution of safe use sites and carefully maintained dealers wasn't the best solution....but it was better than just pretending like the problem didn't exist. And as for Roy specifically? They had plans in place. Contingencies for if either of them needed to be handled: Roy for a relapse, Jay for if the Pit climbed too high in his head. They weren't perfect, but they at least acknowledged that and Lian would be taken care of if something were to happen.
He arched a brow a little at Lian's words, but he reached over to boop her nose while Bruce had her up in his arms. "Ayóó ánííníshní, my baby. Always." Then she was set back down and Bruce was turning back to him and Jason huffed a bitter laugh. "She said she loved you. It's Navajo. Roy's been teaching her. He must have told her to tell you that. I invited you to meet my family, Bruce. Not just my daughter.
If you're serious about this, about being in my life again, he comes with it. I'm so serious right now, I need you to understand that. The only reason I haven't asked him to marry me yet is because I'm legally a dead man. Don't wanna marry him with an alias, I want it to be real. Air tight. Want to adopt Lian the right way, so that no one can question that I'm just as much her father as he is.
If you can understand that and get over your Judge McJudgington issues with him, well...then you're a hell of a lot closer to being back in my good graces than you were an hour ago. So, Grandpa. That something you can do?"
Roy had slipped through the cracks long before his addiction, who knew if either of his adoptions were even legal. Star City excepted him as Oliver Queen's adopted son, but since Connor was born, he wasn't needed as much. More so just to help with Queen Industries when everyone else was busy, as they all knew he could clear out the work in a day with a few monsters, but no one wanted to ask too much.
Speaking of his family, he had not told Jason, but he had asked Mia to call him at a certain time, soon. To claim she needed to talk to him. Jason and Bruce may see through it, but he wanted this to work and for it to work he needed to leave or sit in the car while the bonded. Not to be antisocial, but to not be there to be the ADHD mess he is and distract them.
Lian was happy to sit in the snow and play with it at Jayjay and grandpa's feet. Just like her father, the cold just didn't seem to bother her. Granted, for her, it is likely due to where she spent the first year of her life with Jade.
Roy finally made his way over, his hands in his pockets, his hat still pulled down. A nod given Bruce's way and a smile to Jason. He didn't say anything, though, he just kneeled down and made a silly face at his daughter. He was feeling awkward, which was rare. Only two people made him feel this way, Oliver Queen and Bruce Wayne. Two bigger than life men who had so much power.
Bruce never agreed with Jason's methods. But he could never argue with the results and ultimately, that's what mattered didn't it? It made it easier to turn a blind eye to the more egregious things Jason did that they might have otherwise come to blows over. He wasn't happy about it, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world. And maybe, maybe Bruce was a little proud of Jason.
There's a smile at Lian's words. He didn't speak Navajo, but appreciated Jason's translation. It was an endearing thing to say. Maybe not something he'd expect on the first meeting, but he'd keep that to himself too (these things were building up, weren't they?).
He listened to Jason's not wholly unfair demands. Of course, Roy was part of the family. Of course, Jason would expect Bruce to accept him and not question it. It wasn't really asking for too much. At least he wasn't demanding Bruce break his rules. Accepting Roy should be easy enough. It was Jason's choice and Bruce could step aside enough to allow room for his son to make his own mistakes.
"I can understand it." Whether or not he judged, on the other hand, would be up in the air. But what's one more to add to the nice little stockpile he's got?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
From Memes
2) A job gone wrong in Gotham? Nah, never happens.
3) Roy's not the only one who has bad days. Continued here.
4) Leaving Jay alone in Gotham is never the best idea, but he probably wasn't expecting to come home to this.
5) Jay was bored. Enough said. Continued here.
6) Roy should not be left alone with explosives. Continued here.
November 8th - Visiting Waylon
With hugs given to Mia and Dinah, as Mia was staying behind for another week before her classes started again, Roy and Jay got to head home. It was on the way that he had brought the idea up. Wanting Jason to come with him to visit Croc, as he has done it every year since he met Waylon.
He didn't expect any argument from his boyfriend, he knew Jason well enough that Jason knew how important it was to him, and inviting Jason to see Waylon meant a lot more than a family trip. It was another area of Roy's life Jason was being tugged into. Roy Harper respected Waylon Jones so much more than Bruce Wayne or Oliver Queen. It was why as much as he bitches about Crane being Jay's doctor, he's never fully serious. Waylon helped him a lot with seeing the big bads are human too.
Gotham was mostly recovered after the Scarecrow's attack, it had been one of his biggest yet, and Crane was back in Arkham. Jason could deal with Bruce later, the damage was easily ignored by the Gothamites, they were used to these attacks. Traffic knew how to move along.
The box with cupcakes was held by Roy, wanting Jason to carry Lian. Signing in for him and Jason, both their ID's tossed down. If Jason's ID was fake, he'd never say. Roy used his real name here, as he did almost everywhere, but part of that was to assure no one messed with Waylon. The Queen heir visiting the man and threatening lawyers every time they even so much as talked bad about Waylon around him? They knew to behave, as much as Black Gate behaves.
"This is going to be so great, babe." He grinned at Jason once they were in the visiting line. They only had an hour, and as long as Waylon wasn't pulled to solitary, it would be fine. "How's our princess holding up?"
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Taking Lian back from Dinah the morning of their return trip home had been hard, but he'd quietly nodded when the older woman had taken his face in her hands and demanded that he promise to come back soon. It was almost too much, that fierce emotion in her eyes, but she'd accepted his nod for the promise it was and had turned her attention to Roy.
Getting back to Gotham had been...complicated. It was always nice to be surrounded by his city again, but seeing the aftermath of Doc's attack sparked guilt in his gut. He couldn't have stopped it, he knew that, but the East End was always one of the places that got hit the worst. Even if Doc hadn't targeted them specifically, the shitty infrastructure took it's own toll. Gotham liked to sweep her unfortunates to the background, after all. Out of sight, out of mind.
His first several days back had been spent almost entirely doing clean up. He let his distribution work on a skeleton crew, pulling everyone else to his clinics and his safe usage sites, or simply having them roll up their sleeves and start digging through the aftermath by his side. The wound on his back was angry at all the not resting he was doing, but for as much as there was to do, Roy picked up that box of cupcakes and Jason scrubbed the grime off himself to look a little more presentable.
While Roy signed them in -Jace Peters, his current legal alias. It was as close to his real name as he could get. He was still legally dead, after all, though Bruce had been making comments that would suggest he could do something about that- Jason found them a spot to wait, settling their daughter on his lap as he pulled out one of the many big cardboard books he'd picked up to start her library. He read softly, smiling as she batted at the pictures and letting her work out how to turn the thick pages on her own.
He looked up when Roy rejoined them, his lopsided smile tired, but genuine. "She's fine. Freshly changed and ready to be adorable for her adoring fans. That little nap in the car did the trick, I think."
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Dinah however, had shown her love for Jason, holding his face in her hands to show how precious he was. Seeing how happy Roy and her new Granddaughter were? That was Jason. Roy was shining again like he did years ago, no longer the shadow of the boy. The love he had for Jason showed, and he was happy again, so Jason was family now. Dinah had gifted Roy a new drum set, that was being shipped to their new home once they chose it. A wink to Jason when Roy had tested it out too. Who knows how she knew.
"Want me to take her for awhile, Jace?" Roy asked, smiling at his boyfriend, he knew his back had to be hurting from the injury, the green eyes on him and Lian who was making some happy noises trying to sound out the words Jason was saying. She had her father's mind clearly, which did worry Roy. She was going to be too smart for her own good too quickly. "It seems so, and maybe my prince can take a little nap in the car after we see her favorite uncle." The door starting to open as Waylon was brought in with some other criminals at other tables as Roy waved him over. "Take the chains off him now!" Roy snapped at them. "I've told you how I feel about that." The sharp tone Jason so rarely gets to hear, this was the Prince of Star City speaking, less his playful genius, but Jason knew how he hated them mistreating Waylon.
Even when the security was justified, Roy disagreed.
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Sleeping with a crib in the bedroom again was incentive, though. His injury and the fact that they were Dinah's house had curbed most things on their vacation, but he'd gotten used to feeling Roy's skin against his own again.
"Nah, we're alright. I'm sure Waylon is going to want to hold her once he gets here. Plus, I already have the book out." He smiled up at his boyfriend before he bowed his head to kiss their daughter's head as she babbled. It was getting closer and closer to real words every day and Jason had never been so excited for a thing.
He'd gone back to encouraging her words by reading...but then the door was opening and his attention was sharply focused once more on Roy. Gone was his goofy, laid back boyfriend...and Jason couldn't help his smile at the way the guards were quick to listen to the man's barked order. He wasn't going to embarrass Roy in front of Waylon by saying anything, but he did love watching his boyfriend throw his weight around.
While the guards removed the chains, Jason closed the now forgotten book. Lian had seen Waylon and she was already reaching for him. It was...a complicated sensation. On one hand, the man had bodied him into walls and threatened to eat him more time than he wanted to remember back when he'd been Robin...but he also knew that a lot of that had been his own fault. And Roy's testimony meant worlds more to him than whatever files he'd once read on Bruce's system. So while he was still a little unsure of his welcome, he still stood and reached out a hand for the other man to shake.
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Roy knew the city came first, even he knew not to mention the mess Crane had made of the city. It almost seemed like most of the damage was not in the cheaper areas this time, but all around the city. That was why Roy was looking on Zillow and making calls himself. Working with a realtor planning to show Jason once, they narrowed down a few choices and give the final say to Jason. He wanted to help, and finding them a place where he and Jason can sleep comfortable and know their daughter was safe? Priority number one for him.
Plus, it was SO hard for him to behave at Dinah's, having Jason's skin against him again was a rush. Though with that injury and all, he behaved.
"You know he will. Who can resist holding our little squeaker?" He spoke with a touch of pride. "You're going to have her talking back to us before she walks... which I'm oddly cool with." Jason could absolutely tease him in the car, though. Roy so rarely liked to use the act, but he was a natural when he does.
"I told you she liked you, Waylon." Roy spoke with an amused tone, as that big hand came down and ruffled Roy's hair, through the hat on his head. Roy didn't even flinch, he trusted Waylon completely. The man turning to reach for Lian.
"Well, look who came to see old Waylon." The man spoke, before looking at Jace. "You must be the one I heard so much about." A look in his eyes, almost like he knows exactly who he's talking to, but did he? Holding a hand out to offer a shake then. "Best take care of these two, understood?" Oliver would never give Jason the shotgun speech, he just bitches to Bruce. Waylon? He wanted to see Roy stay clean, so Jason had to be vetted, and that big hand intended to squeeze.
"He does, I promise you that, Waylon. The best guy I could ever hope for." Roy spoke and gave Jason a playful, almost coy look. He didn't care about flirting in the prison.
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Still, he was looking forward to being able to just do a basic patrol and then come home to his family. Or, even better, kiss Arsenal good luck and then keep an eye on the man as he galivanted through the city while rocking their daughter to sleep. Maybe meet Roy at the door with a 'you didn't die' kiss before banishing the man to the shower and after, a plate of food. Being a house husband would suit him well.
Wait.
Before he really had a chance to process that thought and the twist of emotion it caused in his gut, Waylon was there and Jason forced himself back into the game. The grip on his hand helped with that, his bones grinding uncomfortably, but he didn't shy away from it or pull away. He deserved a little testing after their rather complicated history.
"I don't know about 'best', but I can promise to do everything in my power to make sure they're safe and well. They're my world. Those who're important to them are important to me." The 'which includes you' was left off, but it was still there. He waited until he'd passed Lian over to Waylon's secure hold and the large man's attention was on the baby before he shot a glance over to Roy and shook out his hand.
Ow.
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Roy knew Jason was having it rough, and if he could make it happen, he would make his boyfriend a house husband, last name and all. Harper might not be worth much as a name, but he'd offer it to Jason one day. Or just offer to hyphen Todd on his own. Which was harder with Jason dead, but if Bruce wouldn't fix it maybe he could go fight with Oliver to get it done.
Roy was smiling as he watched Waylon try to snap Jason's hand, before picking up Lian like she was the most precious thing. Careful with his claws as he held her and sat down, making little noises at her. Roy's smile moved to Jason. "I said what I meant, babe."
Waylon looked up and gave a toothy grin at Jason's reply. "Stole the words right out of my mouth, kiddo. You keep my boy on the straight and narrow, and take care of this little girl and you and me are right as rain." Waylon was less angry these days, he needed a reason to really rip into someone. Helping Roy had helped Waylon help himself. "Sit down, tell me what you are all here for?" He asked as Roy slid the cupcake over to him, as Roy nodded to the seat next to him for Jason to take.
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All three of them, if Waylon's cooing was to be listened to. The man had mellowed with age. With incarceration? Maybe just with time and Roy to help take care of. The man was still huge and intimidating as hell...but watching him cuddle Lian eased the last few misgivings he had. Everyone deserved a second chance, right? He was a firm believer in that.
Even if that person had bodied him into many a brick wall.
Sitting down next to the other man, he reached over to nudge that cupcake a little closer, while also out of the way of reaching baby fists.
"We're here because birthday cupcakes are meant to be shared with family. Isn't that right, baby girl..." The last was said with a wiggled finger at Lian. She giggled and waved at him, but he was second fiddle to Waylon at the moment. The older man had all her focus and Jason felt himself relax a little more as he watched the two interact.
He waited a bit, letting Roy and Waylon catch up as he picked at his cupcake. He had a plan....but he wanted to wait for the right time because he hadn't actually spoken to Roy about it. It was a surprise for him just as much as it was a surprise for Waylon.
"Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about, Waylon. Roy tells me you're up for parole in a few months? Well...we're looking to move some place a little quieter. For Lian. And I wanted to offer you a landing pad until you get your feet back under you. For as long as you need."
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Roy's visits helped when he was allowed inside. Hearing about the baby had been a shock, but it shouldn't have been. Waylon knew how bad Roy had gotten when he hit the bottom. A fall that had made them the closest to family Waylon had. Next to some of the rogues, who always demand he never say anything. All of them, so careful about showing their softer sides for attack.
Roy, he didn't give a damn what anyone thought. Though, Jason knows he actually does. He just plays it better than it really is. Waylon chuckled as Lian tried to get the cupcake, keeping her safe in his arms. "You want a bite, baby girl?" He asked that Louisiana bleeding heavily as he lifted it. Not asking before tearing a small bit off for her with one of his claws and offering it, careful as can be. "Family, huh? I like that." He responded, eating the rest himself, showing he was serious.
Roy slipping his hand into Jason's and squeezing. Clearly happy as could be. This was what he wanted for his birthday, and he had no complaints. Those he cared about short of Dinah and Mia were here. Though, both Waylon and Roy looked at Jason with wider eyes.
"That's a fantastic idea, babe." Roy sounded so proud of Jason. "And I'm going to do my best to be at that hearing, Waylon, but if I can't, I will send a video statement." He knows Oliver will try something.
"I couldn't impose on y'all like that." Waylon spoke, almost sounding worried about being a burden. "Your neighbors would be scared seein' me."
"Fuck them, your family to us. Right, baby?" Roy looked at Jason, smile full of affection for his boyfriend.
Christmas 2024
The basement being converted into a space for Waylon for when his parole comes up, it was growing closer each day, but he wouldn't be there by Christmas, mid-January at best.
The living room was done up in true Christmas cheer, a fake tree that lit up and the lights played to whatever music Roy or Jason had going. Roy and Mia had gone and spent a lot of Oliver's money on gifts and ornaments. This was the first year in many that Roy refused to go to Star City, he was staying home with his family.
When dawn broke, the Archer quickly slipped out of bed, kissing Jason softly. "Time to get up, Baby." Another kiss before Roy pulled on his pajama pants, not bothering with underwear or a shirt, it would just slow him down. Hurrying as, he heard Lian whimpering on the baby monitor.
"There's my little squeaker, how did daddies angel sleep tonight?" He asked, his voice could be heard on the baby monitor as he changed her and put her in her little Christmas dress. Carrying Lian down to wait for Jason with the Grinch playing on the TV.
When presents started, Lian needed help from both, but the girl had many gifts, excitedly playing with a little rubber duck that squeaked. While her father handed a box of Jason, it was wrapped in red and black. "This is for you. There are others, but this is the important one."
Inside was what looked like a pocket watch. A lot like Alfred's, but clearly not. An extra loop at the bottom to make the chain switch into a wristband. The outside was etched in a fire design, on one side, and 'Your home is with us' etched on the back. Inside was a picture of all three of them sitting together on Roy's birthday. A picture Dinah had taken. Sealed in place forever with some epoxy. The watch itself? A smartwatch Roy had somehow slipped inside an old-fashioned watch. "Merry Christmas, Jaybird. Love you."
Of course, the other present from Roy, was a second edition Russian printing of Emma by Jane Austen, but he was prouder of the watch as he had mostly made the changes himself.
Meeting in a Winter Wonderland
But every once in a while, the stars aligned and the result was a toddler park with a few inches of pillowy soft snow that was perfect for little bodies stuffed into snow suits to make snow angels. The group was relatively small, a handful of kids all romping and squealing and slipping all over themselves while corresponding parents tried to keep the mayhem to a minimum.
Among the bundled up adults Jason could see the wild red of his boyfriend's hair poking out from under his ever present trucker cap. He'd made Roy wear one of his jackets, though he was pretty sure that it had been unzipped somewhere between chasing Lian under the swing bridge and teaching her how to pack the perfect snowball. Eh. It was still on, it was about as much as he could ask for. He loved the man, but honestly he didn't understand how the red head hadn't frozen to death years ago.
Jason himself was hovering near the fence, nursing a large paper cup of something that steamed in his hands as he alternated between watching his daughter and the love of his life frolic in the snow...and the path from the main gate. His stomach was tied in several hard knots and he sipped at his tea to try and soothe them, but to anyone who knew him well enough, he was anxious.
Anxious, but hopeful.
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She was wearing a little snowsuit with bear ears and a fur lining around the hood. Giggling madly as she led her father around the little park. At first, glance one wouldn't realize she was Roy's, she took after her mother in looks, but she had Roy's green eyes and his boundless energy. As Lian tumbled a little he caught her and tossed her up in the air, catching her as she made a happy squeal. Looking back to Jason as he offered a grin his way, putting Lian back down to gather some snow for snow balls.
He had been concerned when Jason brought them, lord knows he didn't have a good history with his past drug addiction. From being a bad influence on Dick the years they were friends, to turning mercenary with Jason when they reunited. He felt Wayne had every reason to not want him around his son, but Roy wasn't going anywhere. Even Oliver had given up on making Roy stay away from Jason, more so with his granddaughter now in the picture. It had been a long time since his last relapse, Lian was proof of that, not that Roy talks about it, but he didn't regret it. She was the ball of sunshine in their dark dreary world.
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There are already people here and Bruce spends all that extra time noting them, their appearance and which way they'd entered the park from. It was habit by now; sometimes he didn't realize he was doing it. It made the waiting easier to endure when he had something to occupy his time with.
And maybe it helped to settle his nerves a little bit. When he spots Jason and his family next, he takes a moment to observe, to get a feel for their dynamic so he'd know how to approach them.
Of all his children, Jason was the last Bruce would have ever considered becoming a father (something he'd never admit to anyone). And it wasn't that he thought Jason wouldn't be good at it. But his life as Red Hood never seemed to have room in it for children. Not any he had to look after beyond saving them from catastrophe. But Bruce had never been happier to see that he was wrong.
Finally, at 1:57, Bruce decides it's time to make himself known so he approaches, though not from the main gate where Jason seems to be looking. He's bundled himself, expensive tailored coat layered over his expensive tailored suit. And underneath his arm is a small, but brightly wrapped present. "Jason," he says as a way to greet his son and for once, he's smiling. Even if it's a faint one.
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The park itself wasn't particularly large, tucked between buildings on a residential street in the Eastend. Once upon a time, an apartment building had been there, but it had been demolished at some point and Red Hood had taken the time and effort to turn the eyesore of a garbage filled empty lot into a neighborhood green area. Half of it had been fenced off for a small playground, the rest had raised beds for a communal garden. The beds were covered to protect them from the snow, but the area was still neat and perfectly presentable.
There were no 'neighborhood watch' signs like on the sad excuses that the city had tried to build, but some of the older kids had etched thick bats in red chalk on the corners of the fence that corralled the play area. It was sign enough.
Jason had turned away from the main path at the sound of Lian's happy squeal, his lips drawing up into a smile as he blew a kiss at the little girl. She laughed and picked up a handful of snow, kissing it with an exaggerated 'MUAH!' sound....before lobbing the little ball at him. It missed him, of course, but he was still laughing when he heard the sound of someone coming through the gate. He turned, his face still bright with laughter.
"Hey. Should have known you'd come as soon as everyone got settled." His smile faded a little, but didn't disappear entirely, and he did reach out to ward another one of the parents off from coming over to tell Bruce to beat it. "Easy, Erika. This is my dad. Lian's granddad." Her eyes widened a little as she looked between the two, but then she just patted Jay's shoulder before turning to head back to where she'd been talking with another parent.
"I thought I said we weren't going to make a big deal out of this?" He eyed the brightly colored gift, but his smirk was still there. "We've only been here for about ten minutes, so Lian and Roy are still getting their zoomies out. One word about Roy and so help me, I'll pack my family up and leave, Bruce. I mean it."
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He didn't expect the same of Bruce given his history with Dick, and now Jason. Recovery was hard, and he had burned a lot of bridges. Enough that he would rather have Waylon Jones around his daughter than Bruce and Oliver. In truth, he didn't want to be here, he didn't want Lian here, but they were here for Jason. Lian certainly had her father's boundless energy and the throwing snowballs at each other was more comical than not as Roy over played any that hit him, throwing himself back in the snow so she'd come to check on him, before covering her cheeks in kisses.
This worked until she saw Jayjay with a man who looked like him with what was clearly a present. Lian tugged his sleeve as Roy say up, snow all over him, his hat in the snow leaving his long red hair wild. Seeing Bruce his smile frowned. "That's your other grandpa, Squeaker, you can go meet him with Jayjay." He kissed the top of her head, and grabbed his hat, watching her make her way over just in case anyone tried anything, but Roy stayed where he was sitting in the snow.
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But, turns out, he didn't need to. Jason putting his neck out for him makes him feel warmer despite the snow. He didn't have to do that, but that he did felt good.
The child, Bruce spent a little time investigating. Jason had given him so little to work with that finding out anything seemed impossible. Didn't mean he didn't try, though. She seemed a happy, well cared for kid and that set him at ease. Roy, well he didn't have much to say about Roy. He watches Lian and Roy romp around in the snow before turning back to Jason.
"Don't worry, I'm not here for that. I just wanted to see you."
But it's a thought he does not finish because he can hear a soft crunching in the snow and he catches sight of Lian coming closer to investigate him. Bruce smiles and kneels down to meet her. "Hello, Lian. My name is Bruce." He offers the present and watches as she tears open the paper to find an age appropriate book bundled with a plushie of the main character.
"Your dad likes to read, so tell him to read this to you. Okay?"
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As long as Bruce could be civil, he could be as well. Mostly. Sometimes.
"No, you wanted to meet your granddaughter. I'm just an additional bonus." He smirked, the words holding almost no heat to them despite the fact that they very easily could. He understood, though. Lian was more important than their bullshit.
As the little girl toddled over, Jason glanced over her head to her father. He knew how much Roy hated feeling judged by Bruce, how many bad memories of being told to leave the Manor it dragged up. But those memories would never be replaced if Roy wasn't willing to trust Jason to protect him from that judgement. He wouldn't push, but he took one hand out of his pocket so that if Roy did decide to join them, it would be there for him.
Because like hell was Jason going to hide the man he loved.
Paying no attention to either of her fathers, Lian had none of the usual amount of fear as she toddled up to the kneeling man. Her life hadn't been like most and her confidence showed even this young. She was not going to grow to be a shy wallflower, this one. The book got a smile and the plushie immediately got it's very first hug and then the girl was holding her gift laden arms up to Jason with an expectant 'Jayjay!'.
Bruce had probably never seen his son's face so soft as when he leaned down to pick up his daughter. "Hey, my little Squeaker. Did Grandpa get you a book? And a stuffie?!? You're making out like a little bandit. Why don't we put those in the backpack so they don't get wet, baby? Did you say 'thank you'?" It was not how most people would speak to an almost two year old, but she was not a normal almost two year old.
"T'anx 'oo!"
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The trouble had started when Oliver abbandoned him in the manor to go on his journey of self discovery with Hal Jordon. Roy had joined a band; Great Frog, and toured with them despite being a minor as no one was around to pay attention. That was when he got on the heroin. Hal found out before Oliver, and when Oliver found out, he put Roy on the streets and told him not to come back.
The Titan's barred him as his addiction got worse. It was Dinah that pulled him off the streets and forced him to go cold turkey. Which never worked. He had his clean spells, one such spell was before Dick had left Bruce's care, he had stayed a few days and spent time with his best friend before going back to the band. He had heard Dick being told to be careful around him as he was bad news. So he swore to himself he'd never return.
Yet, he did. A year or so later, with Dick to meet Dick's new little brother, Jason. It had been a mostly fun day, trying to teach Jason archery, then sitting out front with Dick and Jason. At least until one of them asked Alfred to take a picture, just after it was snapped, Bruce had come out, asking Roy to leave. Oliver had called and told Bruce about Roys most recent relapse. The words spoken between the two would never be spoken to Dick or Jason, but he refused to ever step food in the manor if Bruce was there. Even when they took Lian to meet Alfred, Roy was uncomfortable. He didn't want to come between Jason and his family so he worked hard to push Jason to visit and talk to them. Even when he refused to join. He'd rather spend Christmas at Blackgate with Waylon Jones than visit Wayne Manor.
The catalyst was Jason's death. He didn't know the kid well, but when Jason died, Roy lost it. Seeing Dick practically break, and the other Titans in morning, Roy started drinking on top of his drug use, and tried to commit suicide via Croc to spare the world the mess he was. It was Waylon who got him into rehab knowing the best thing for Roy. The man was still Roy's sponsor to this day.
Years later, when the Red Hood saved him from execution when no one else would? He swore himself to Jason, his new best friend and partner for life. He was still upset at Bruce, hell Oliver too, but Oliver was his only living father, so what could he do there?
Silently praying Mia would call, and he could at least walk off and lean on the mustang. Instead, he offered a pathetic wave when the eyes landed on him. He smiled, though, watching Lian interact with Bruce and Jason. Pushing off the snow when he saw her heading for her backpack. "Need a hand, squeaker?" He asked as she hurried over to show him what she got, as he kneeled to open the bag for her.
Whispering something in Navajo to her, he had been teaching her to keep his first adopted father's language in the family. Lian looked back at Bruce with big eyes, running back over to hug his legs. Roy slipping the kiddie backpack over his shoulder, a comical sight given the bag was the same size as his bicep. Lian calling out the words in her best little ability. One Jason has heard Roy say often, ayóó ánííníshní 'Love'. Roy may have his issues, but he wouldn't have them affect his baby girl. If Bruce was going to be her grandfather, than he'd show her she needed to love the man.
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So if there were warnings, Bruce felt like they were necessary.
Jason, however, never listened. So Bruce isn't terribly surprised at this turn of events. He just hopes Jason's careful, especially now that there's a child involved. Another opinion to be kept to himself. He didn't want an end to this meeting prematurely. Not when he feels like there might be a moment of reconnecting with the son he missed.
Lian gets a smile when her arms wrap around his leg. Bruce stoops, scoops the girl up into a proper hug and there's just a hint of a smile before he sets her down again. When he straightens up, to Jason he says, "Thanks for inviting me."
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It had only made him more mad when he'd found out. You didn't treat addiction by isolating it. By kicking literal children out into the streets so they didn't sully a 'good' name. He'd blown up on Dick when he'd finally learned the truth, accusing him and Bruce both of being part of the problem instead of the solution.
His solution of safe use sites and carefully maintained dealers wasn't the best solution....but it was better than just pretending like the problem didn't exist. And as for Roy specifically? They had plans in place. Contingencies for if either of them needed to be handled: Roy for a relapse, Jay for if the Pit climbed too high in his head. They weren't perfect, but they at least acknowledged that and Lian would be taken care of if something were to happen.
He arched a brow a little at Lian's words, but he reached over to boop her nose while Bruce had her up in his arms. "Ayóó ánííníshní, my baby. Always." Then she was set back down and Bruce was turning back to him and Jason huffed a bitter laugh. "She said she loved you. It's Navajo. Roy's been teaching her. He must have told her to tell you that. I invited you to meet my family, Bruce. Not just my daughter.
If you're serious about this, about being in my life again, he comes with it. I'm so serious right now, I need you to understand that. The only reason I haven't asked him to marry me yet is because I'm legally a dead man. Don't wanna marry him with an alias, I want it to be real. Air tight. Want to adopt Lian the right way, so that no one can question that I'm just as much her father as he is.
If you can understand that and get over your Judge McJudgington issues with him, well...then you're a hell of a lot closer to being back in my good graces than you were an hour ago. So, Grandpa. That something you can do?"
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Speaking of his family, he had not told Jason, but he had asked Mia to call him at a certain time, soon. To claim she needed to talk to him. Jason and Bruce may see through it, but he wanted this to work and for it to work he needed to leave or sit in the car while the bonded. Not to be antisocial, but to not be there to be the ADHD mess he is and distract them.
Lian was happy to sit in the snow and play with it at Jayjay and grandpa's feet. Just like her father, the cold just didn't seem to bother her. Granted, for her, it is likely due to where she spent the first year of her life with Jade.
Roy finally made his way over, his hands in his pockets, his hat still pulled down. A nod given Bruce's way and a smile to Jason. He didn't say anything, though, he just kneeled down and made a silly face at his daughter. He was feeling awkward, which was rare. Only two people made him feel this way, Oliver Queen and Bruce Wayne. Two bigger than life men who had so much power.
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There's a smile at Lian's words. He didn't speak Navajo, but appreciated Jason's translation. It was an endearing thing to say. Maybe not something he'd expect on the first meeting, but he'd keep that to himself too (these things were building up, weren't they?).
He listened to Jason's not wholly unfair demands. Of course, Roy was part of the family. Of course, Jason would expect Bruce to accept him and not question it. It wasn't really asking for too much. At least he wasn't demanding Bruce break his rules. Accepting Roy should be easy enough. It was Jason's choice and Bruce could step aside enough to allow room for his son to make his own mistakes.
"I can understand it." Whether or not he judged, on the other hand, would be up in the air. But what's one more to add to the nice little stockpile he's got?