V.

Jason, who has never once felt like he’s been anyone’s first choice, and because of this has become ridiculously insecure about his self worth. He’ll deny it to the day he dies, of course, but it’s the truth. He wants and wants and wants so fucking badly it feels like he’s drowning in it. He wants to be someone’s first choice—their only choice. He wants to know what unconditional love feels like, wants to know what it’s like to be chosen. Every single person in his life has let him down in one way or another, and he knows he’s not blameless, but shit would be nice to actually feel loved.

( Like, come on. Hes had a handful of parents and parental like figures and every single one of them has picked something over him. Drugs, money, the stupid fucking mission. Every time. What the fuck is his luck? )

Enter Tim.

Tim, who has similarly felt abandoned by everyone he’s ever met, resulting in him developing some pretty serious abandonment issues. If he was honest with himself—which he very often was not, then he’d probably say he was born with them. His parents were gone more often than not, leaving him to be independent, sure, but absolutely drowning in loneliness. And then he met the Waynes, who, at least in the beginning, offered him more comfort before he had ever officially met them. Bruce was…rough, initially, and things had gotten better, sure, but that never meant he stayed. Tim was fiercely independent, which meant that Bruce….didnt feel the need to hover. It was as relieving as it was devastating. Him and Dick had drifted apart, him and Damian were…well, he didn’t know what they were, but Damian wasn’t trying to kill him anymore. Not brothers. Not really. But…something close, maybe. Alfred was loyal to Bruce and would never leave, but his feelings towards the older man had grown…resentful, almost. It was complicated. Kon liked to argue that Tim’s abandonment issues were very real, but he often made them worse—which was rude…but also probably true. It wasn’t his fault that growing up lonely had…unexpected results. The self isolation and insecurity was expected.

The need to keep everyone he loved so close to his chest that they were practically living behind his ribs was not.

This is why they work. Once Tim is interested in someone, he becomes absolutely devoted to them. He would literally do anything to keep Jason happy and it does something funny to his heart every single time. Jason has never felt as wanted as he does when him and Tim start dating. He doesn’t even care about the, frankly ridiculous amount of trackers on his person at all times, because he knows that’s how tim shows his love.

Never once has he ever doubted Tims love—not since he made the Jokers death look like a happy little accident that he certainly had nothing to do with, batman. He loved him. He wanted him. He chose him over and over again, and Jason would rather die again than let him go. He doesn’t care that Tim is possessive as hell (he thinks it’s hot) or that he gets jealous often (it makes him feel wanted), or that sometimes, when Jason is being especially bratty, usually on purpose, he gets a little mean.

(Jason loves when he gets like that. It’s so fucking hot…but he thinks everything Tim does is hot, so maybe he’s a little bit biased)

People have their concerns about their relationship, because of course they do. They say their relationship isn’t healthy—that the possessiveness shouldn’t be an attractive trait and Jason should know better. They say Jason is the bad influence (this just means that Tim is a good fucking actor because what?) and that he’s corrupting him just to spite Bruce.

They don’t care though. Their obsession…started out as exactly that. It wasn’t love, not at first. Their problems were similar enough to relate, but different enough to help. To soothe the ache the world had left on their souls.

And, yeah. maybe it was a little bit unhealthy at times. But they learned to make it work. They found a way to make Tims possessive nature not seem suffocating, but allowed Jason to feel wanted all the same.