“I know, I know that.” Dick replied as Jason started defending himself with no bite in his words, only an apologetic understanding, which he turned to Tim as the younger continued explaining. It was difficult to keep the envy off his expression as he listened, but he did it, did his best to steady the sour squeeze around his heart, now knowing the intimate details of what he’d interrupted.
It made sense. They all had a thing with danger, with their addiction to adrenaline and that sixth sense for trouble. They liked playing with fire, and who wouldn’t want to lean into that twisted desire every once in a while, when they were all birds of prey? It was so easy to imagine how it would feel to pin someone like Tim into a corner, to take apart someone so put together. He could also understand the thrill of running, the powerful, relentless heat that was Jason. Not to mention, he loved nothing more than being close with his brothers and to experience Jason’s loyalty when he snarled at the rest of the world, to have Tim let him behind that impenetrable shield.
“I get it, trust me, I do. I know that Jason’s—”
He started to reply, but then his words were cut off and he was left staring at Tim, who called him out so hard that he felt like a deer in headlights. As if his own admission hadn’t been enough, he now had the beam of a flashlight pointed directly at him.
Silence stretched out between them. Dick’s own mug was frozen mid-air where he was leaning back on his other hand. Slowly, he cleared his throat and straightened, lowering his drink to the coffee table. His gaze was a little apprehensive as it drifted to Jason.
“...yeah.” The word felt like treason in his mouth, like betrayal, but both admitting and not admitting to it would be betrayal. Wasn’t it obvious, he wanted to ask? Why else would he insist on staying with Tim for a whole fucking week in this cesspit of a city he wanted to get away from? Why else would he have lost a grip on himself so badly that he had hurt Jason?
“It’s okay. Seriously. I’m only saying it to explain why I acted like that earlier. I’m sorry, it made me overprotective.” The smile that softened his expression was small, a little sad, but genuine. He leaned forward and spoke to both of them, brown eyes warm as he looked at two of his most important people cuddled together. “I mean it. It doesn’t matter, all I want is for you two to be happy together. That would make me happy.”
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It made sense. They all had a thing with danger, with their addiction to adrenaline and that sixth sense for trouble. They liked playing with fire, and who wouldn’t want to lean into that twisted desire every once in a while, when they were all birds of prey? It was so easy to imagine how it would feel to pin someone like Tim into a corner, to take apart someone so put together. He could also understand the thrill of running, the powerful, relentless heat that was Jason. Not to mention, he loved nothing more than being close with his brothers and to experience Jason’s loyalty when he snarled at the rest of the world, to have Tim let him behind that impenetrable shield.
“I get it, trust me, I do. I know that Jason’s—”
He started to reply, but then his words were cut off and he was left staring at Tim, who called him out so hard that he felt like a deer in headlights. As if his own admission hadn’t been enough, he now had the beam of a flashlight pointed directly at him.
Silence stretched out between them. Dick’s own mug was frozen mid-air where he was leaning back on his other hand. Slowly, he cleared his throat and straightened, lowering his drink to the coffee table. His gaze was a little apprehensive as it drifted to Jason.
“...yeah.” The word felt like treason in his mouth, like betrayal, but both admitting and not admitting to it would be betrayal. Wasn’t it obvious, he wanted to ask? Why else would he insist on staying with Tim for a whole fucking week in this cesspit of a city he wanted to get away from? Why else would he have lost a grip on himself so badly that he had hurt Jason?
“It’s okay. Seriously. I’m only saying it to explain why I acted like that earlier. I’m sorry, it made me overprotective.” The smile that softened his expression was small, a little sad, but genuine. He leaned forward and spoke to both of them, brown eyes warm as he looked at two of his most important people cuddled together. “I mean it. It doesn’t matter, all I want is for you two to be happy together. That would make me happy.”