Jason's pov:
I lounge across the couch. It's now that I'm thankful I brought some alcohol. I'm not entirely drunk, but I'm definitely buzzed.
"Wait, so that happens to you then? Or it did?" Tim asks, slurring.
"Yep." I say, popping the P. He nods in contemplation.
"Do, uhm, do the dreams ever stop?" Cora asks quietly. She has her arms wrapped around herself. She looks so tiny like that.
"Mine haven't. But yours might. That's what this therapy stuff is for, right?" I try to be optimistic. She could use some optimism.
"Fair point." She says. I don't like how timid she looks. She's biting her lip like she's holding back from something.
"Cora, what on your mind?" I ask. The whole point is to talk. May as well prompt her a little.
"Well, you all get a lot of scars, right?" She asks. I nod as she looks around at us. "Do you ever hate any of them?" She asks quietly. I think back to the scar that use to adorn my chest, and the one on my calf.
"I do." I say.
"Yep." Tim pipes up.
"I don't mind them." Bruce states.
"I'm proud of mine." Tator tot says with a shrug.
"Huh, so it's okay if I don't like mine?" She questions timidly. If I could pour confidence on her and watch her grow, I would.
"Of course. Yours were forced upon you. We usually expect to get hurt when we go out." Tim says in a drawl. Now that's drunk. He can't handle his alcohol.
"Okay. Then, I think I might want to keep one." She says, a little bit to herself it seems.
"That's your choice. Why though?" I question. She looks down at her hands, her fingers twiddling.
"I don't like how many there are and there's one I can't get rid of fast enough. But, I also survived. And I did it with a smile." She says proudly. I grin at her.
"And you gave him hell. Don't forget that part." I say, pointing at her. She smiles to herself.
"Yeah, I did. I don't like remembering details, but I can at least remember that." She says. Now that's the confidence I like her to have.
"If you don't I'll remind you. Especially since it gives short stack a heart attack." I say with a smirk at Damian. He's not so bad when Cora's around, but I won't ever tell him that.
"I simply don't enjoy thinking about what he did to you because of it. I'm proud that you were as strong as you were." He says, looking towards Cora.
"Were?" Cora asks with a smirk, but her voice comes out weak. Demon brat's eyes widen.
"You still are." He says quickly. "I only meant that it was a moment of heightened strength." He explains in a rush. Aww he's flustered.
"Dami, it's fine. I don't feel very strong anyways." Cora says with a shrug. I frown at that.
"Aren't you still beating him with your sparring tallies?" I ask.
"And getting top grades." B pipes up.
"And you gained a wit sharp enough to keep Demon spawn in check." Tim adds.
"You're also actually putting effort into sober therapy. That's something none of us did." Bat Brat puts in. I need to come up with better nicknames.
"That doesn't mean I'm strong though. That's just normal things that I do. I'm not any stronger for them. And Damian is only a few tallies away from beating me." She says, holding her hands up in surrender.
"Normal after being through a huge trauma and literal torture?" I deadpan. She frowns.
"Well, I'm sure I'm not the only one here who been through that. You've been through worse by the same person!" She defends. I sit up and forward, resting my elbows on my thighs.
"Cora, I went on a killing spree after that." I state bluntly. She opens her mouth to object and then closes it. Point made.
"Hey, how often do you do that lately anyways?" Tim asks, leaning his head on his hand. I raise my eyebrow.
"Do you actually want to know?" I question. I'm a little drunk, I'm not stupid. I know they don't kill in this house, and I don't like giving him reasons to not like me.
"Yeah. Who knows, maybe this therapy stuff will mellow you out a bit." He says with a lazy shrug.
"I haven't gone on a spree for a long time. But mass murder is on the agenda for like, I think Thursday? Black mask raised the price on me again." I say easier than I should have.
"Why don't you just use rubber bullets? Gets the job done without the murdery bits." Tim says with a flick if his hand.
"If I'm taking on a skyscraper of armed thugs, I don't want the ones I put down to get back up. They share my sentiment anyways." I explain. He thinks about that for a short second.
"Knock out gas?" He suggests.
"Well I gotta kill someone or else there's no point. I either take out masky or I send him a message." I say.
"You could take down his main base and then write a note. Something like, 'I can take you down whenever I want. You owe me the lives of your men.' Maybe? You could do that, right?" He asks. I think he's delirious.
"I did something like that once. Smaller building and I just killed everyone, but he just called a hit out on me. So that's just more murder." I say patiently.
"Yeah, that's never gonna feel normal. I think we can end the session here, guys." Cora says, standing from her seat.
"Perfect. Although I would like to talk to you and Jason about something before you go." B says. I turn my attention to him.
"All ears." I say sarcastically. He sighs deeply.
"Cora, you want to learn to shoot guns?" He asks tiredly. I sit up straighter. I guess she told mini B about her idea.
"Um, yes." She says, as confidently as she probably can. I watch her boyfriend tense up.
"Alright. I'll allow it, with a few conditions." B says. Now he has my full attention.
"Those are?" I ask.
"You teach her proper gun safety. No shooting in the house, I don't care where, just not here. And lastly, no living targets." He demands. I roll my eyes.
"I was planning on teaching her at my safe house. I have a shooting range and I'm sure we can set up some pop cans or something. The point is to teach aim, not malice." I defend. He nods.
"Cora, you agree?" He asks. She nods.
"Yes. Thank you, Mr. Wayne." She says politely. Well that was easier than I thought it would be.
"You're welcome. Now you two go get your homework done before dinner." B instructs with a soft expression. The two kiddos leave to go do just that.
"I'll take Tim upstairs." I say, getting up. My buzz is fading already but his probably isn't.
"Why? I'm fine." He says with a wave of his hand.
"Just in case." I say as I help him stand.
"Jason." Bruce says in a stern voice. Oh goody, I get a private lecture.
"Yes?" I say with a sigh, turning so I can look at him.
"If I find out you're being a bad influence on her, I'll pull the plug." He says darkly.
"Ya know, I don't think she could ever be as bad as we are. Sure she's kinda fiesty, but she's better than we ever will be. I want to keep it that way." I say lowly. He nods and I start walking away with Tim.
"I don't wanna go." Tim mumbles.
"But you're going anyways. You're gonna drink lots of water and then sleep on your side for a bit." I instruct. I should probably take my own advice soon.
"Okayyy. But! You're coming with me." He says, his words slurring as he blinks tiredly. I chuckle.
"That's what I'm doing timbers." I tell him. He stays relatively silent as we make our way through the manor, occaisonally mumbling random gibberish. He's leaning a fair amount of his weight on me.
We finally make it into his room, and I sit him on the bed. I grab an empty waterbottle from his desk and head into the bathroom to fill it up. When I come back he's flopped backwards onto the bed.
"Come on Tim, let's get you rolled over." I say quietly. He looks half asleep already.
"Cuddle me."
I blink at him as my face heats up. Yep, he's definetly delirious.
"I'll stay right here for as long as you want me to, but you have to sit up and drink this first." I try to compromise. Waking up beside someone else with little to no memory can be an absolutely terrifying thing.
"If I drink that we're cuddling." He demands. I sigh. Better he gets some fluids in him and wakes up confused then to not wake up.
"Alright. Sit up then." I instruct. Taking care of a drunk person is like taking care of a child.
Regardless, he does as I say and he grabs the water bottle. He practically chugs it and I get him another one. He glares at me but drinks it anyway.
"Affection please." He says, holding out his arms. Pushing down the voice in my head that says I shouldn't, I wrap my arms around him. He returns the hug happily. I have to force myself to let go.
"Okay Timbers, let's get you on your side." I say. He frowns, his face scrunching up.
"You said we would cuddle." He points out. He's really testing my resolve isn't he?
"I know, Tim. But I need you to lay on your side so you don't die in your sleep, okay?" I say, trying to reach his reason. He flops sideways like a falling statue. He pulls his legs up onto the bed.
I pause for a long moment. I'm still in my right mind, but he's not. I know what he's saying, but I really don't want to make him uncomfortable. Maybe he just wants me to stay so he can fall asleep.
"Jason, please?" He asks in a small voice. God damn it.
Ya know what? Nothing is gonna happen. He's fine. I'm fine. It's better if I stay and watch him anyways.
I lay next to him, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him closer. He shifts back into me, holding onto my arm with his. I am not strong enough to not be flustered.
"Hey Jay?" He asks quietly, sounding more lucid than he did before.
"Yes?" I reply.
"I like you." He states.
I'm not okay. I am very not okay.
"Well, I figured you didn't hate me anymore." I say, unsure how to actually respond.
"No, no. Like, I really like you. I wanna hold your hand and call you handsome." He says, holding my arm tighter.
He doesn't mean it. He can't mean it. He likes someone else. Get your hopes back down, Todd. Shoot that hope in fucking face. He doesn't mean it the way you do.
"Okay." I force out, my throat feeling tight.
"Do you like me?" He asks. I feel tears spring to my eyes but I force them back. I grit my teeth and breathe deeply.
"Yes." I say. If he's meaning just as friends or even brothers, I don't want him to think I hate him. I can't lose him like that.
"Wait! Holy Shit Really!?" He says sitting up quickly to look down at me. He flinches but otherwise stares at me expectantly. I blink at him in surprise.
"Uh, yeah?" I say, completely confused at what's going on. He seems, really happy. I thought he knew I like him, at least as a person.
"Hold on, do you like me, like a brother?" He asks, his eyes narrowed.
"Okay back up a second. How do you like me?" I ask, trying to figure out what I'm supposed to say to this.
"I already told you." He says, gaining back some of his hesitance.
"No, no. You said you want to hold my hand and call me handsome. You did not say in which way." I say defensively.
I'm panicking at this point. Do I tell him how I really feel? But what if he doesn't like me like that? What if I scare him off and I lose him? I can't do that. I don't want to!
"Agh!" Tim yells, putting his face in his hands. "Fine! I have feelings for you! Romantic feelings! And it is about damn time you acknowledge them!" He shouts.
"What about that guy I heard you talking about?! When we were at Cora's?" I ask, reeling in shock.
"Jesus christ you're dumb! It's you! The guy I was talking about was you!" He yells, pulling his hands away from his face. He has tears in his eyes.
My mind goes blank.
Me. It was fucking me!? Holy chalupas I am an idiot!
"Tim, I am so sorry." I say, although I'm not sure how. My mouth feels like it's full of cotton.
"Right." he says, his face falling. "Just go." It feels like a slap to the face.
"Why?" I ask.
"Just go!" He yells, standing and turning away. "God I was so stupid. I should have known. I should have just kept my mouth shut. Stupid, stupid, stupid." He says quietly, his hands twisting into his hair.
"Tim, you're not the stupid one here." I say, sitting up on the bed. He whips around.
The tears in his eyes have started falling. I stand up, reaching out to wipe them away. But he turns his head, his arms crossing.
"Tim, look at me." I say. He keeps his eyes turned away. "Alright, we'll do it your way." I concede.
"Timothy Jackson Drake I have loved you for the longest time. I don't want to lose you and I am staying right here until you look at me." I state with more confidence than I have.
I watch as more tears fall down his cheeks. I wait patiently as his eyes flick towards me and then back again. As soon as his head starts to turn I'm gazing into his eyes.
"Are you lying to me?" He asks, his voice quiet and broken. I shake my head.
"No." I reassure.
We stare at each other for the longest time. His eyes are red and puffy, but he still looks handsome. His hair is starting to fall into his face.
"Jason?" He asks, hesitance dripping from his voice.
"Yes?" I feel my heart speed up and my breathing get heavy.
"I think I'm gonna throw up."