Someone handed me a pencil

-

“I thought you two were supposed to be dating or something?”

Tim honestly was surprised no one had called them out on it earlier. Jason and him had been “dating” for nearly two months now. How they had decided on it was past him, but it made great cover for the amount of time they were spending with each other. It apparently was more agreeable with the rest of the bats than the case they were working on would have been. Regardless, even if this conversation was long overdue, Tim really didn’t want to deal with Dick right now.

Tim glances silently across the room at Jason to see if he’ll take this one, “Whatever would make you think we weren’t?” Thanks Tim squints at him and immediately turns back to his work.

“That! That right there! The way you look at each other holds nothing! You sit so far apart or just talk about cases! It’s like nothing changed.” 

“It’s simple, things changed but we didn’t. Just because we don’t drape over each other in public like you do with Babs doesn’t mean we don’t care.” Dick’s definitely pouting now but Tim’s not gonna look. Jason has already closed the two files in front of him and turned his chair around so he really doesn’t need to.

Dick huffs.

“I guess I’ve just never seen it. You two- I mean, Tim used to get so flustered when he dated Stephanie,” Tim started a bit at that. Really Dick, I was a teenager, “I would have thought he at least would still show something.”

“Oh. He does,” oh no. Tim could hear Jason walking up behind him but still didn’t expect his chair to be pulled back when it was. Jason walked around in front of him and quickly put one hand on the back of his neck and the other cupping his jaw. All thoughts fled from his mind as Jason smirked and moved in towards him.

Tim felt skin press against his lips and fully froze for a beat before he realized Jason had covered his mouth with his hand, pressing his lips to the back of it instead of Tim’s own. A laugh got caught in his throat as he wide-eyed watched Jason pull away. Nearly grinning, Jason grabbed the edge of the chair and turned it around to show a flushed Tim off to their now silent observer. “See, flustered.” 

Tim had forgotten Dick was even there, startling him and blushing even further at being seen. He would kill Jason later but for now he shot him a blushing glare, abruptly stood up, and strode off deeper into the cave before Dick could react to the scene. Once he was out of sight, muffled sounds of excitement caught up to him.

-

He was alone for only a few minutes before Jason found him, “I can’t believe you stage kissed me like a middle school actor.”

Jason had spent years as a stow away. Moving ship to ship as soon as there was suspicion was easy, sailors had better things to do at port than look for him. The day he was finally caught he was on the Bat’s Wings staring into the dead eyes of a silent captain. He managed to knock out two men before being caught, lifted from the ground, and hauled before this near mythic man.

Up close there was a glint in the Bat’s eye though, it spoke more kind words than the man himself ever would in Jason’s time knowing him. Putting him down with a nod and walking away Jason stood dumbfounded. The crew though got back to work and with a few pats on the shoulder adopted Jason into their ranks. Given warm meals, rope lessons and eventually a life on the boat he had clearly found where he wanted to be...

-

... and Jason clearly wanted to be anywhere but here. Staring down the Bat again, unblinking and aged, was the second closest place to hell he’s been in a while. Water continued to crash against both their hulls as the boats separated drowning out the shouts from the other boat. Thankfully he knew how to speak with his eyes almost as well as the old man and his intentions were clear, any movement and Bruce would permanently lose his third second-hand. Timothy Drake as it happened to be. Jason can only guess why Drake got the role he was ripped from years ago but he didn’t need to wonder how much he could get ransoming him back to his abandoned family. 

The man in his arms may have been partially rebuilt by the sea but his life on land still betrayed him. The cut of his clothes and scent off his hair belonged to a noble more than any sailor. 

As the two ships parted, eye contact between the Hood and the Bat was finally broken by distance. Only when it was clear they wouldn’t be followed though, Jason finally let himself breathe. Shoulders relaxed but grip tight he spoke close to Drake’s ear, “Don’t know where you were flying baby bird but I think it’s time we brought you back home. Hope you can survive a week or two under deck until we get there.”

To his credit the man didn’t turn or even flinch, he just looked mildly inconvenienced as he announced “I wouldn’t worry so much about me. You on the other hand, might want to watch out.”

“Now, why would that be?”

“I’ve been following your work Hood, I must say more literally than I originally intended. I’ve already inherited one of your titles and even been abducted by a Red Hood just today. If I follow your footsteps much closer who knows? Might just step on your heels enough and get promoted.”

Jason’s lips twitch to a smirk but he presses his dagger a bit closer, “You’re missing a few steps there Drake, namely, you need to die to take this ship. Are you prepared to die here?”

The man glares at him as best he can over one shoulder but a whip sharp smile graces his lips before parting to reveal, “I’ve been prepared to die since I first picked up a sword, lucky for you I’m not planning to follow through any day soon.”