It was past midnight but Jason was awake, looking out the window in the dark. Richard had left on the usual time but he had wished him a Happy Birthday in advance and promised that he could gather as many friends of his as he wanted to the next day.
He had also told him that he would take the day off so that they could spend time together which they never really got to do ever since the elder had taken up the identity of Batman.
Jason was happy that Richard cared for him but at the same time he was worried that he put himself in too much danger. The only consolation he had was that Richard had considered his idea of joining him as a vigilante and discussed it with Barbara and Helena.
However, their verdict would be revealed the next evening as both were supposed to be coming for the gathering Jay had set up.
A tap on the window shook him out of his thoughts and he looked down, surprised to see Carrie.
"How you doing, Jakespeare?" Her green eyes twinkled as she took his hand and climbed inside, "welcome to adulthood."
"As always finding a weird way to say Happy Birthday," he remarked, a smile playing upon his lips.
"If you really ask me, birthdays aren't that happy," she shrugged, "you're just one year closer to your death day."
"Geez Carrie, way to spoil the fun."
"Besides, you're eighteen now, an adult. And in case you forgot, being an adult comes up with responsibilities. Get ready to face yours," she winked playfully, making herself comfortable on the bed as she sat down cross legged and picked up the pillow, hugging it close to herself. "Thankfully, I have one whole year to stay irresponsible."
"So..."
"Movie night," she spoke up before he could say anything, "plus, I invited Laurie."
True enough, a knock was heard on the door and Jason knew it would be his best friend Laurie so he went to open the door with Carrie trailing behind.
"Just because Dickie isn't at home doesn't mean you two can show up unannounced. What if I had been asleep? You'd be waiting out here for ages," he remarked as he opened the door but the boy had launched himself on him in a tight hug.
"That's exactly where lockpicking comes in handy," Carrie mumbled but her words were drowned in Laurie's enthusiastic birthday wish.
"Here's the birthday boy, Happy Eighteenth Birthday, Jay!"
"Thank you," he spoke up, struggling to get out of the hug, "now can you let me go, Laurie?"
"Sure sure, got too excited," Laurie let go of him, a bright smile lighting up his features, "so movie night?"
"It seems so since Carrie has already decided," Jay replied, glancing over at her.
She shrugged, a smile dancing on her features, "well, I had other ideas but the only reason I settled on movie night was because I got a call from Dick warning me not to drag your ass out to a club tonight."
"But he didn't say anything about the other night," Laurie added.
Carrie nodded, "or maybe he wants to keep the honor of showing Jay inside a club for the first time for himself."
"We'll see about that," Jason closed the door, "but he doesn't know whether it would really be my first time."
"Jay, you sneaky buffoon..."
He chuckled, "you know what, both you and Dickie have awful habits. He messes up my hair all the time and you keep shoving my arm so hard that I'm afraid one day it will just fall off."
Laurie's brown eyes widened, "stop it, Carrie, I can't bear to see my friend with an arm falling out." But then he remembered something and pushed his backpack into Jay's hands, "I brought the movies. Now you guys select which one you want to watch. I love all of these so I won't mind either."
Jason smiled, "next time, we'll go watch a movie none of us has seen before and that too in a cinema. My treat."
Carrie nodded in delight, "certainly. Can't wait for this next time then."
"Hey, let's enjoy this time first before thinking about the next, will you?"
The three of them laughed together as Jason had flung his arms around both of them, "since Carrie picked movie night and you brought the movies but it's my birthday, so it's only fair that I get to pick the movie."
They thought for a while then agreed with Carrie adding, "just because it's your birthday. Otherwise we can all agree that letting you select a movie is a disaster since either you select terribly sickening action movies or those sappy classic movies that make me wanna jump out the window."
"Carrie, stop..."
She shrugged, "just stating the facts. Ask Laurie or Dickie if you still have any doubt."
Laurie nodded his head in agreement as Jay turned to look at him, "sorry bud, but she's right this once. However, since it's your birthday, we'll put up with whatever movie you select, promise."
***
Richard unlocked the door silently as he stepped in, assuming Jason would be asleep as it was dawn and the boy usually woke up around eight. However, as he went in further, he was met by an unexpected sight.
Jason, Carrie and Laurie were all asleep in the living room and the television was still playing the credits of the movie they had watched. Judging by the number of CDs lying beside the movie player, he could guess they might have watched more than one movie last night.
The three friends were on the couch with Jay in the middle. Carrie was sleeping with her head on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around her gently while Laurie was almost dropping off the couch with his head on the arm rest.
A smile flickered on his face to see the three of them so peaceful and he went back to his room, fetching the largest blanket he could find that he cautiously draped over them. Laurie shifted, an eye opening but seeing it was just Richard, he mumbled something inaudible, corrected his position so that he wouldn't fall off then went back to sleep.
Richard was exhausted but for that short instant he had forgotten how tired he had been. Though as his eyes flickered towards the clock, he was brought back to reality, a soft sigh escaping him as he trudged off to his room.
He was thinking about what Jason had asked of him the previous week; to let him join him as a vigilante. And true to his word, Richard had discussed the matter with Barbara and Helena who hadn't found any objection with the idea.
Still he couldn't help but think that if Jason took the same path as he had, he would lose all those moments of peace and comfort he could enjoy right then with his friends. Even though he was eighteen and technically an adult, he still deserved to live freely without the perils of the crime world weighing him down.
He had been planning to tell him that he could join him as a vigilante but once again, he found himself crosschecking the situation.
Jason's safety, happiness and freedom meant a lot to him.
He did not want him to sacrifice it all and that too in such a young age.
Making up his mind to put both options in front of his younger brother later, he fetched out a comfortable pair of clothes and stepped into the bath to take a shower. After all he went through each night, it was the quickest way to ease himself and relax.
Besides, it was easier to go to sleep after a shower too, he had figured. Or else he would be laying awake most of the times, staring up at the ceiling and wondering about all the people he couldn't save.
It was stressing, no doubt, his decision of protecting the city was proving to be more and more difficult by each passing day as somehow things had started to go against him much more often.
But he did not want to give up.
However, at the same time he was not too sure of letting Jason get involved with the mess he had already gotten stuck in.
Somewhere deep down, a feeling warned him that it could result in him losing the boy forever and he couldn't bear to even think about it.
***