Thing was, that appreciation ran both ways. Yeah, Tim disapproved of the occasional body that he still left on Gotham's concrete, but the younger man understood. That hard, vicious core that ran through his perfectly straight spine meant that Tim could see the reason. He didn't like it, but he didn't have to like it.

They respected each other. All of each other. All their broken, jagged pieces that fit back together with little holes where somethings had been too shattered to repair. The others saw those holes and pitied them. Jason saw those holes and understood that being broken didn't mean you were useless.

The older man chuckled softly, nodding as the song came to an end. He kept a hand at the small of Tim's back as he guided them away from their fellow dancers. He wanted to steer them both in the direction of the door and just call it a night, maybe take some time to peel Tim out of that fine suit with his teeth...but Tim Drake had a reputation.

And being seen leaving with Jace Peters went beyond a little public flirting to get the grandmas to stop shoving their grandkids at him. The pictures that had no doubt already been taken would be damning enough.

"You go on. I'll make a menace of myself a little longer to keep your reputation pearly white. Meet you at the Nest. I'll make some caramel for popcorn and we can start season two of TNG."