Hey, sorry this is late, but I totally decided to do this whole week thing last minute. I have no idea how to link posts, but I come bringing fluff.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Jason held his phone between his cheek and shoulder. He hadn’t been able to sleep knowing this call was coming. Damian only managed to call once a month. The family didn’t know, and Jason wasn’t sure how Damian was keeping it a secret. It didn’t matter as long as he kept calling.
Damian chattered away about the dog Bruce had gotten him and other important issues of eleven year olds. Titus was apparently smarter than his classmates, and Tim was sighing just to annoy Damian. His nonstop talking always rolled back around to the dog though.
Arms wrapping around his waist scared Jason more than he’d ever admit. He managed to keep his mouth shut even though Roy deserved to be chewed out. He’d been very touchy the past couple of weeks. Three missions and four months under the same roof must be when Roy gets comfortable with someone. Jason wasn’t fighting it, but he didn’t understand. Was it just how Roy was or something more?
“Ahki? Is something wrong?”
“I’m still here. I was just trying not to burn breakfast.”
Roy took the spatula out of Jason’s hands and spun him away from the slightly crisp pancakes. The shooing motion was understood but not followed. Jason couldn’t get his brain to move past Roy not wearing a shirt. His scent mixed with the pancakes and bacon was not something Jason wanted to move away from.
The smirk and eyebrow wiggling quickly changed Jason’s mind. Jason refused to boost Roy’s ego. He sat down at the island and only watched Roy’s back muscles a little bit. Jason wasn’t going to mess up his call just because Roy wanted attention.
“Mother said you’ve been working with someone.” Damian was good at asking questions without actually asking a question. It had taken Jason a month to teach him to not outright demand answers.
“Yeah, I am. I’m busy when she’s free and vise versa so she hasn’t gotten to meet him yet.”
“I doubt he is worthy of your time.”
Jason rolled his eyes. “We’ve talked about this. You don’t get to decide who I hang out with.”
“Mother says he’s an alpha. He will pursue you.”
“What makes you think that?”
“You are a qualified omega.”
“Yes. You have learned how to manage a household and defend it. You are not unattractive.”
“That’s so sweet.” Jason bit his lip to keep from laughing.
“It is the truth. Only the best alpha should have the honor of courting you.”
“That’s why I’m laughing. I love the way you phrase things is all.”
“I don’t understand what you find so humorous. Your worth is not a laughing matter.”
“I know, I know. Dami, I know exactly what face your making when you say stuff like that. It’s really cute.”
Damian huffed. “I am not cute. Pennyworth will be here shortly. I will speak to you soon.”
“Bye, stay out of trouble.”
Roy set down a sizable stack of pancakes and two plates. He was still shirtless when he drowned his pancakes his syrup. Jason put a reasonable amount like a normal person and tried to ignore the fact that Roy was using the bars on his stool as a foot rest. Their legs were almost touching.
“He thinks I’m a qualified omega.”
Roy choked and laughed at the same time. “Oh, yes. I’ve see your qualifications and concur. Smart, gorgeous, a good cook, gorgeous, and a badass.”
“You said gorgeous twice.”
“Because you’re extra pretty.”
“Shut up.” Jason felt heat rise to his face and tried to hide it.
Roy made a satisfied alpha noise that Jason didn’t know how to describe. “So damn pretty.”
Jason tried to ignore him and go about the rest of his day. Unfortunately, Roy had been turned into a lost puppy overnight and stayed close but strangely quiet. Having someone blatantly stare at him made reading and research difficult. That and Roy still refused to put on a shirt. The house was cool enough so Jason was sure Roy had motives but couldn’t figure them out.
“Why don’t you just go see him?” Roy took the laptop out of Jason’s hands as he finally settled on what he wanted to say.
“I told you I can’t. It was the last order he gave me. I’m sticking to it.”
“What if Talia ordered you to check on Damian?”
Jason furrowed his eyebrows. “What?”
“You said Talia was your mom so you’d have to listen to her even if it went against a certain asshole’s orders. It would be an exception that he doesn’t even have to know about even though I don’t think you should follow something so ridiculous.”
“That’s a poorly constructed loophole. Not happening.”
“I would. I don’t want to do it.”
“Jay.” Roy leaned in and held Jason’s face in his hands. “You told me you missed Damian so much it hurts. A good alpha would never do something to bring pain to a pack member. He made it clear you’re not in his pack. You don’t have to listen to him. It’s not going to convince him you’re telling the truth.”
Jason couldn’t stop his whine as he tried to pull away.
“I know it hurts. You are the most selfless person I’ve met. You can be selfish for once. I hate seeing you suffer over this. I know Talia would be happy to help. We could make him think Damian’s visiting with Talia and maybe surprise Damian at the same time. That’d be fun, right babe?”
“Yeah, it would be, but it won’t work.”
“It will. Give me Talia’s number, and we’ll figure it out while you pack.”
Roy nodded. “As soon as Talia can do it.”
Talia could be in Gotham in a week. Jason trusted Talia’s planning abilities but was skeptical of Roy’s. There had to be something in this for Roy. Just because Jason couldn’t figure out what it was didn’t mean it didn’t exist. There was no way Roy would risk running into Dick without a very good reason.
Roy was not going to be allowed to make hotel reservations ever again. Jason liked the distance from where Talia was staying, but he had concerns about their room. Roy had only gotten one room with one bed. The couch was obnoxiously small and looked uncomfortable. There were no excuses or explanations given. The only curtesy Jason received was Roy agreeing to wear pants.
It wasn’t even a king bed. Jason was painfully aware of all two inches that separated him from an alpha who was incredibly pleased with himself. The fact that one of them had to be the adult and it wasn’t Roy was the only thing that kept Jason from kicking him.
An hour of restlessness ended with Roy muttering under his breath. Jason lowered his guard to try to understand what Roy was saying and deeply regretted it. Roy wrapped his arms around Jason’s waist and pulled him against his chest. He threw one leg over Jason’s and started rumbling. Jason hated how much it worked but slept better than he had in a long time.
Jason left for Talia’s hotel room mid morning, grateful Roy hadn’t mentioned anything from the previous night. Being cuddled into submission was not something Jason had planned. Stupid alphas and their annoying good looks. Jason shook his head. He was there to see Damian not think about how tightly Roy held him. Hopefully, Roy wouldn’t get into too much trouble without him.
Talia let him in silently. Damian didn’t notice until the door closed. He stopped pulling out things from his backpack and froze for a second. Jason managed to slip off his jacket in time for Damian to practically leap into his arms. Damian smelled like Wayne Pack. Jason set about fixing that quickly.
After a quick greeting, Damian cut straight to the point. “Why do you let an alpha scent you?”
Jason ignored the pointed look from Talia. “He didn’t scent me. We were just in close quarters recently.”
“Why would you allow him to come with you?”
Jason didn’t have an answer. Roy could have easily stayed in their safehouse. Archers didn’t always make sense so Jason hadn’t thought much of it. It didn’t really matter as long as Roy didn’t get into any trouble. Jason just shrugged and steered Damian into talking about what he’d been up to.
The day ended too quickly. It had been fun and well needed. Talia brought only the best of nesting materials, and Damian showed off his artwork. Jason had managed to get Damian smelling like pack if only for a few moments. He couldn’t go home like that or Bruce would know or keep Talia away. It might have been overkill, but Jason felt better covering his tracks.
All that was left to do was fall into bed. The room was empty when he made it back before nightfall. Jason hoped Roy hadn’t slipped up. If he didn’t hear back in an hour, he’d check the closest bars. Roy would definitely sleep on the couch if Jason had to deal with entitled drunken alphas.
Halfway through getting ready for bed, Roy walked back in completely devoid of any scent with a ziplock bag of cookies. “How’d it go?”
“Went to talk with my sponsor.”
Jason cocked his head and leaned against the bathroom door frame. “I didn’t know Killer Croc was a baker.”
“Bet he only makes frog cakes. No, I needed to do something. Alfred gave them to me.”
Roy sighed and rubbed his face. “Nothing that could be possibly linked to you. I didn’t trust Dick not to spy on Damian so I distracted him. I don’t want to talk about it. I hope the cookies make up for the room thing. I didn’t think it would be a problem.”
“You can’t just drop it at that.”
“You gonna tell me why you really saved me? If you get a secret, I get one to. I’ll tell you when I’m good and ready. Eat your damn cookies and let me sleep.”
The cookies tasted like home, but Roy’s arms felt like home.
