Blair and Jules sat in a booth at one of the old ice cream parlors in downtown Gotham, swapping their bowls of ice cream every so often. It was something they had done for years, something that had stopped after Blair had gotten home from that spring break in San Francisco. They each got their own bowl of ice cream, but still shared with each other due to their tastes being so different.
"So, Matty had an amazing idea." Jules said suddenly, her brown eyes twinkling in excitement.
Blair let her spoon drop to the side of the bowl, giving her friend a look of amusement, "And what is this amazing idea of Matty's, Jules?"
Jules stuck her tongue out, but almost instantly returned back to the conversation, "When was the last time we had a bonfire?"
"A bonfire?" Blair blinked in surprise. "Matty wants to have a bonfire."
"We used to do them all the time before..." Before Blair had lost any and all interest in things that had once been exciting and fun for her. Before she had gone to San Francisco for a spring break and had come back, followed by a bruised and bloodied Dick Grayson and the destruction of her second family.
"Actually, a bonfire sounds great." Blair said thoughtfully. Jules widened her eyes in surprise as she continued. "I mean, you're right, we haven't had one in forever and we have plenty of room at the mansion to have one."
"Wait, really?" Jules exclaimed in disbelief. Blair looked around the ice cream shop in amusement before shifting her gaze back to her excited friend. Apparently Jules hadn't thought she would agree to the plan. "You want to have one? Seriously?"
"Yes!" She couldn't help but laugh. Then, she remembered a few people who she hadn't seen in a while and a few who had only seen her while working. "On one condition."
"What's this condition?" Jules leaned forward, shoving her half eaten bowl of ice cream out of the way as Blair started to plan out the evening for the bonfire and the people to invite.
There was no doubt about it, Blair was rising above it all, she was learning to live again.
********
Blair and Kate both stood on high ladders, hanging twinkling lights in the trees a few hundred feet away from the mansion. Blair tossed a strand over to Kate who caught it with ease, "You know, I was kind of surprised when you called me and said that you were having a bonfire tonight."
"So was Jules when I agreed to it." Blair stepped off her ladder to look up at the strands of lights hanging from tree to tree, checking to see if there were any that needed to be fixed before they turned them on. "I don't know why you guys are all shocked by it."
"Maybe because you stopped wanting to do these things a long time ago?" Kate responded, struggling to set the lights on the other side of the tree.
Blair sighed, grabbing her ladder and dragging it over to the tree to help. It was a lot heavier to carry on her own, she realized. Every time they moved, both her and Kate lifted and carried the tall ladders to their destination. Seeing Blair moving her ladder, Kate jumped off hers to help, grabbing the side dragging on the ground and lifting it over her shoulder.
Jason walked by carrying wood for the fire, looking between them and the giant ladder they carried, "Hey, do you guys need help?"
"No thanks! We got this." Blair said as they dropped the ladder near Kate's tree. "You just keep getting wood. We need a lot for a bonfire."
Blair climbed up the ladder, turning to look back at Jason as he dumped the wood into the already large pile a little bit away. Kate cleated her throat, tossing Blair the rest of the lights to wrap around the tree branches, "You know, if I didn't know any better-"
"Do not finish that statement, Kane." Blair glared through the tree branches. "I will knock you off of your ladder before you even utter a single word."
"You're so mean to me." Kate laughed. Blair rolled her eyes, sticking her tongue out at her which only made Kate laugh harder. "Real mature."
Blair grinned, "Of course I am."
"This is the last tree right?" Kate asked, looking over her shoulder at all the trees that were covered in unlit lights.
"Yup. After this, we are completely done." Blair assured her, happy with the change in subject. "All that's left is the drinks and food."
"Which is?"
"Johnny is bringing hot dogs over and seeing as there is a grill right there, we're going to grill them." Blair plugged the lights in, lighting every single tree up at the same time.
Blair and Kate climbed down their ladders, joining Jason on the ground. Blair's eyes danced from tree to tree, taking in the twinkling lights with a smile.
"Wow, this is— wow." Jason breathed, looking at the night sky that was now in their trees, just a few feet above their heads.
Blair glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before looking back at the trees, a smile still on her face, "I know."
********
Two out of the three ice chests Blair helped Alfred bring out from the basement were filled up with a mix waters, sodas, and different alcoholic drinks and stacked at the door to be put by the fire. She was in the middle of filling up the last chest when her phone started to ring. Without checking caller ID, Blair put the phone up to her ear, continuing to fill the ice chest up as she answered, "Yes, Jules. It's still happening."
"What's still happening?" A voice that was definitely not Jules replied on the other end of the line.
Blair almost dropped the bottles of beer in her hands in surprise, "Dick?"
"Yeah, I'm guessing you didn't look at Caller ID." He laughed.
"No, I didn't, I was filling up an ice chest." Blair slammed the chest closed, walking to the back door with the phone to her ear. "How are you? What are you calling for?"
"No reason. Just wanted to talk to you. We haven't done that in a while." He paused before continuing, Blair leaning against the two stacked ice chests by the back door. "So what are you filling an ice chest for?"
"We're having a bonfire tonight. Me, Jules, Matty, Kate and a few other people. River, Johnny, Mary, Ben, Jason." She added Jason's name last out of uncertainty. The last time her and Dick had talked, they completely avoided the subject of Jason like it was the plague and that was over text. With this being the first time in a month that they actually spoke on the phone, the last thing she wanted was to fight with him.
"Wow, a bonfire. It's been a while since you've had one of those." Dick said. "It's been a while since you've done anything like that really."
"I know." Blair grinned, despite the fact that he couldn't see her. "I'm actually really excited for it too."
Dick laughed again, "You sound it. You sound happy."
"I think I might be. It's been a long time since I've been happy, but I know how it's supposed to feel." She admitted, watching as Kate picked up a random stick and stuck it in the fire. Seconds later, Jason was jumping out of the way as she held it close to his face. "Are you happy in Detroit?"
"I'm not- yeah. Yeah, I'm happy if you are."
Blair sat up a little straighter, the tone of his voice worrying her. He seemed on edge, his cheerful demeanor sounding forced, "Are you okay? You sound weird."
"Yeah, I'm fine." He assured her. "It's just been a long day at work."
She was about to argue, call bullshit, when she looked up to see Jason making faces at her through the glass, waiting for her to notice. Blair burst out laughing, throwing open the door and walking out to the patio, the phone still up to her ear as Jason threw her a shit-eating grin, "You're such an idiot, Jay!"
"Ah, but you love me for it." Jason shrugged, still grinning from ear to ear.
Blair raised an amused eyebrow, unable to keep the smile off her face as she looked at him, "You think mighty highly of yourself."
"I'm your best friend, I'm supposed to." He responded a matter-of-factly. Blair's smile grew the longer she looked at him, feeling that now familiar tug in her heart.
Kate smacked Jason upside the head, "I'm her best friend, jackass."
Blair rolled her eyes, "You two fight over this and I'm going to make sure this last ice chest is full."
Before she could close the door, Jason called her back, "Hey, who's on the phone?"
"It's Dick." Her response immediately turned Kate and Jason into five year old children tripping over each other to get to Blair faster.
"HEY RICHARD!" Kate yelled, shoving Jason out of the way. "I'VE BEEN HERE, TAKING YOUR SPOT AS BLAIR'S FAVORITE PERSON!"
Jason got off the ground, dusting himself off as he muttered something that rhymed with "ducking bowl sit." Blair caught his eye as he looked up, biting her lip in an effort to hide her smile, failing when he smiled back.
"Is that Kate?" Dick laughed on the other end of the line, bringing her back to her current conversation and out of her head.
"Yes, who knew she could be so lovey-dovey right?" She laughed, sticking her tongue out at Kate when she rolled her eyes. Blair turned on her heel to head back in the house, closing the back door behind her. She looked out the glass seeing Kate and Jason talking. Jason shook his head at whatever Kate was saying, looking up at Blair and flashing a small smile. Blair laughed again, waving before turning her back on the door.
"It's good to hear you laughing, really laughing." Dick said, the same forcefully cheerful tone back in his voice.
All the laughter left her voice as she spoke again, "Seriously Dick, what's going on?"
"I met a girl, a kid." He answered. He was so quiet that she actually had to strain to hear him. "She reminded me of you."
Blair nestled the phone between her shoulder and her ear, using both her hands to lift the ice chest and stack it with the others by the back door, "Really? How?"
"She's a fighter. Been through hell and back and still fighting." Dick responded, his voice distant. "I think you'd like her."
"She sounds awesome." Blair said, still concerned. Before she could say more, the doorbell rang, Johnny and River's voices filling the house as Alfred let them in.
Dick seemed to have heard it on the other end of the call because he cleared his throat, "I guess I should let you go, huh? Big bonfire and all."
"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked again, pointing to the phone when River and Johnny walked up. The bonfire could wait until she knew what was happening with Dick.
"Yeah, just stressed about work." Blair bit her lip, remembering how he would say the same thing about Titans and Batman business when they were in public. "Don't worry about it, Luna. I love you."
"I love you too." She said without hesitation.
"Have fun, kiddo. You deserve it."
********
Blair watched as Matty and Jules danced to an old Elvis song playing on the speakers, smiling as Matty twirled Jules around effortlessly while she laughed. Without meaning to, she shifted her gaze to Jason sitting next to Kate, each trying to out-eat the other.
Sighing, she stood up from her lounge chair, walking over to where Ben stood just a bit further away from the fire with a beer in his hand. He looked up as she got closer, throwing her a soft smile which only grew into a wildly amused grin as she grabbed the bottle from his hands, downing it in seconds. "You know, I was surprised to get the invite to this. I actually didn't think you still did stuff like this."
"It's been a while since I've wanted to." Blair admitted before giving him a confused look. "Why were you surprised that I'd invite you?" The minute the words left her mouth, she realized the last time she actually talked to Ben was months ago when he had shown up for the gala and to see the distillery. He opened his mouth to reply when she held up a finger to stop him, "I know I haven't been the best friend as of late and I haven't really kept in touch and for that I'm sorry. There's not really an excuse for it."
"There's really not? You can't even lie to me? What kind of person are you if you can't even give me a bullshit excuse, Blair Wilde?" Blair looked over at him, relieved to see that he was smiling.
She put a finger to her temple in mock concentration, "My dog ate my phone?"
As if on cue, Popchik ran by with a hotdog in his mouth, chasing after River. Ben looked over at Blair at the same time as she looked at him, immediately bursting out into loud laughter.
"You know, you're different than you were the last time we talked." Ben observed once they settled down enough to talk again.
Blair scrunched her nose up, though the smile never left her eyes, "Different bad?"
"Different good. Different... better." Blair gave him a wry smile as he backtracked, his eyes wide when he realized what he said. "Not that you weren't great before, it's just now you're just—"
"Let me guess... happier?" She finished for him. It was a popular statement these days, though none of them knew how or why she was suddenly smiling and laughing a lot more.
Maybe she could contribute part of the reasoning to the boy drinking his fifth beer of the night next to Kate, but it wouldn't be completely honest. He made her better, happier, there was no doubt about it, but it was more like she woke up one day and decided that she was going to learn how to live again. Jason just so happened to be the one that woke her up that morning.
"You've heard this before haven't you?" Ben raised an eyebrow, snapping her out of her thoughts.
She nodded, turning to bend down and dig through the ice chest behind them, "Yeah, I've also heard that you had a plan to kidnap me and ship me off to a tropical island."
"I never said ship you off to a tropical island, I said to kidnap you and take a vacation." He corrected her as she handed him another bottle of beer. "Wherever you would've ended up was not discussed."
Blair shook her head in amusement as she twisted the cap off her own bottle, taking a large gulp. Her eyes landed on Johnny pulling Mary out of her chair to dance. Where Matty and Jules were so close to being a cute cliché in their dancing, Johnny and Mary were the exact opposite as they jumped and spun around crazily. Blair smiled as she lifted the bottle to her lips again.
Ben watched as her gaze went to the dancers to Jason, taking a drink before letting out a short laugh. He never thought he'd see a day where Blair Wilde had a crush. She was always the one that people had crushes on, but she never noticed, always too busy with school or whatever secret she was hiding. His thoughts went to the lunch they had had over three years ago, how quiet and withdrawn she had been compared to the girl— woman, really— she was now. "Blair-"
"Let's not talk about that right now, yeah?" Blair said, knowing exactly where his thoughts had headed. "It's a party, let's enjoy it."
Then, dragging Ben along with her, she joined her friends in their dancing underneath the moon and stars by the roaring fire.
********
Blair was dancing with Jules and Mary to an upbeat 1975 song when River appeared by her side, "Hey can I talk to you for a second?"
"Uh, sure." She turned to face him, Mary and Jules still dancing behind her. "What's up?"
River rocked on his heels, glancing around at the close knit group around them, "Privately?"
Blair's eyes became alert as she straightened up, nodding quickly, leading him to the furthest trees that still had lights hanging from them. It was far enough away that Jason could hardly see their faces past the smoke and the daze that came with all the drinks he had.
"I feel bad for him." Mary said suddenly, sitting on the ground by his chair, looking in the direction River and Blair had taken off to.
Jason looked down at her in confusion, "What?"
"He likes her but she loves someone else. Oldest story in the book of unrequited pining." She gave him a knowing look, putting the bottle to her lips.
Before the liquid even made its way to the top, Kate wrestled it out of her hands, "I think you've had enough to drink for tonight, Mary."
Jason ignored the both of them, turning back to watch Blair and River in the distance, a million thoughts running through his mind. He tried to focus on just one, but they all ended up as a jumbled mess in his head again. Deciding to stop trying, he reached into the ice chest for another bottle.
"What's up?" Blair asked when they were far enough away. "Anything on the Bat-Radar I know you have on your phone?"
River's jaw dropped, "How did you- no. No, that's not what I want to talk to you about."
"Good, because this is a party and I would like to enjoy it and not worry about what's going on in the city in my one night off in two months." River nodded slightly as she leaned against a tree, crossing her arms. "So what's up? You didn't drag me away from the dancing and drinking for nothing."
"Can I ask you something weird?"
"Seeing as you asked so nicely..." Blair laughed at his earnest expression. "River that's what we're here for!"
"Yeah well—"
"Spit it out."
"Is there anything going on with you and Jason?" He blurted out.
Blair stopped laughing, the smile slowly disappearing from her lips, "You brought me over here to ask me the same question I've been asked over and over again?"
"Yes." River nodded before looking at her frustrated expression. "Well, no. But yes?"
"Which is it?" She snapped.
"It's a technically."
"A technically."
"You didn't answer my question."
"Because I've answered it a hundred times!" She exclaimed, peeling herself off the tree. She needed another drink, maybe another hundred. Questions she didn't have answers to were being asked again and this time, she had had enough. "There isn't anything going on with me and Jason."
"It doesn't seem that way." He muttered, sticking his hands in his pockets.
"I'm not involved with anyone nor will I be. My job doesn't allow it. I don't allow it." Blair narrowed her eyes. "What's it to you anyway?"
"Nothing anymore."
"Anymore?" She raised an eyebrow. River gave her a pleading look as the realization hit her. "Oh. Oh, River, I don't—"
"Don't worry about it." He shifted his gaze to look at the tree behind her. Even in the dark she could see the blush that stained his cheeks. "I see how you look at him and how he looks at you."
And it always circles back to that. The fact that her heart skips a beat when Jason looks at her for a second longer than usual, the rush of electricity that shoots through her body when she holds his hand, the way she sleeps better, feels safer when he's next to her. All the times she had thought about how easy it would be, what it would feel like if she kissed him.
"I'm not drunk enough for this conversation." She moved past River, heading straight for the ice chest with the giant bottle of tequila she had stashed in with a margarita mix.
River turned with her, "Wait, hold on."
"What now?" It was all she could do to keep from whining. "Are you about to break into song?"
"What? No."
"Thats a shame. I would've stayed for that." Screw the margarita mix. She was drinking it straight from the bottle.
********
Jason was sitting by the fire, watching Blair dance to the music by herself as the flames started to die down. Only the two of them and Kate and Mary remained of their small party and somehow Blair was still dancing. Mary had laid her head on Kate's shoulder a few minutes before and was now fast asleep, something Jason thought looked pretty good himself.
Whatever his thoughts on sleep were, they vanished when Blair made her way over to him, grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet. Even completely wasted, she was able to use her strength at its full potential. The thought alone caused him to make a mental note to never get into a bar fight with her unless they were on the same side. "Dance with me, Jaybird!"
"How much have you had to drink?" He laughed, though he knew he really couldn't judge seeing as he lost count of how much he had himself. The difference was, he was fully coherent and still had somewhat of a firm grip on reality.
"Doesn't matter." Blair shook her head, throwing her arms around his neck. "I want you to dance with me."
"You know, the night seems to be ending, B." Yet, even as he said the words, he still put his hands on her waist and pulled her closer to him, just like he did a week ago at her parents' house.
"Does it?" Blair shrugged, her words a little slurred. "I think it's just getting started."
Jason laughed quietly, swaying in a circle with her, "Matty already took Jules and Ben home, Johnny and River just left, Mary is asleep on Kate's shoulder, it's just you and me, B."
"Maybe I want it that way." She lifted her head to meet his gaze, her fingers playing with his hair. Maybe it was the dying fire, maybe it was all the alcohol he had, but it seemed like her face was a lot closer to his. When she started to speak again, he realized her lips were damn near touching his. "What do you have to say to that smartass?"
Before he could do or say anything, she slipped out of his arms, twirling just out of his reach. She danced and spun to the beat of Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark," leaving Jason standing right where she left him, not sure whether to chase after her and kiss her or to let her dance on her own.
"Hey, I'm going to take Mary home." Kate's voice came from right next to him, causing him to jump. She looked between him and Blair before letting out a laugh. "Make sure she gets to bed safely and doesn't trip and fall down the stairs. Oh, and I won't hesitate to kill you if anything happens she doesn't want to happen."
Jason nodded quickly, turning back to see Blair twirling happily underneath the moon and stars by the dying fire.
"Hey!" Kate called over to her loudly. "I'm heading out, I'll see you tomorrow to set up the bar, yeah?"
"Of course I'll be there!" Blair bounced over to them, throwing her arms around Kate in a tight hug. "Are you sure you have to go? Why don't you just stay?"
"Because I'm picking Kara up in the morning remember?" Kate reminded her, pulling away.
"Right, okay. I'll see you tomorrow then." She bounced back over to Jason, calling over her shoulder. "I love you!"
Kate smiled, nodding her head at the younger girl, "You are about five minutes away from passing out."
"Three actually." Blair corrected, holding up two fingers as she leaned her head on Jason's shoulder.
Kate looked at him expectantly, but he already looped his arm around Blair's waist, "Okay, time for bed Firefly."
"I can walk, Jay." She giggled, poking his cheek.
"Yeah, but I can't." Jason responded honestly. Truth was, despite the fact that he was more sober than Blair who drank half a bottle of tequila on her own on top of however many drinks she had before, his brain was still a little fuzzy. He couldn't tell if it was from the drinks or from their near kiss.
Kate's eyes widened as she took him in, "Jesus Christ, Jason. How much did you drink?"
"Not as much as her."
Kate waved them off towards the house, "Both of you go, I'll handle the fire."
********
Jason dropped Blair off in her bed, moving her journal and copy of Stalking Jack the Ripper to her nightstand before covering her up with her blankets. Popchik was fast asleep at the foot of the bed, lifting his head once to see them stumble in. He turned to walk out the door when she grabbed his hand, looking up at him with tired eyes, "Where are you going?"
"To my room?" He meant to say it as a statement, but it came out like a question.
Blair studied him sleepily, "Why?"
"To sleep."
"Okay? Sleep here." She patted the bed next to her where he usually fell asleep when they slept in her room. "Since when has that been a problem for you?"
Since when was that a problem? It wasn't. He may have wanted to kiss her, but sleeping next to her, just sleeping, was a lot better. Still, Blair was completely wasted.
He opened his mouth to argue when she lifted her head slightly to stare at him, "Just sleep in here. I sleep better with you next to me."
Jason blinked in surprise at her words. He slept better next to her too, but he never said so out loud, "Fine, I'm going to change though. Okay?"
Blair nodded, laying her head back down, "Mmm, whatever."
********
Jason walked back into Blair's room in his pajamas, seeing Blair fast asleep. He still wasn't used to seeing how peaceful she looked when she was dreaming, when she was not having a nightmare. He crawled in next to her, putting his hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling.
The second he was situated, Blair turned on her side and snuggled into his. Out of instinct, he put his arm around her and closed his eyes to sleep, listening to her even breathing and the occasional mumble as she dreamed with a smile on his face.
He was just about to fall asleep when— "Jason."
"What?" Jason asked quietly, opening his eyes. He titled his head to see Blair in the dark, surprised when he found her still asleep.
In all the times that Blair had talked in her sleep, he was never able to make out what she said, but now her words were clear as a bell, "Jason... stay, don't go."
"I'm not going anywhere." He murmured into her hair, kissing the top of her head.
Blair moved closer to him in her sleep, letting out a tiny sigh before mumbling, "Iloveyou."
Jason froze, "What?"
Blair didn't say anything more, just continued to sleep peacefully. Did she say what he thought she said? She couldn't have, right? He had too much to drink, that was it.
Still, as he fell asleep holding her in his arms, he couldn't stop thinking about the way her eyes looked when she was dancing with him tonight by the fire— they looked just like the night sky reflecting the flames, but to him, they looked exactly like heaven.
A/N: I don't think you guys are prepared enough for the next two chapters 😂