Lost & Found
AKA "Jason stumbles upon DILF!Danny threatening Vlad at a charity ball. He kinda-sorta falls in love (and his kid is pretty cool, too)." Dead on Main pre-slash prompt!
To say Jason hates attending charity galas is an understatement. Unfortunately, ever since he legally came back from the dead and took a position at the Martha Wayne Foundation as an social outreach coordinator, it's mandatory. (At least attendees tend to take one look at the infamous white streak in his hair and steer clear of him. It's an open secret that Red Hood is Jason Todd-Wayne, if only because it's too inconvenient to dye his hair.)
That's why it's so surprising when someone - a little someone - slams into the back of his knees with a childish shout of, "Hey, mister!"
It's a little girl (maybe 10-ish?) with white-blond hair pleated into a messy braid, big watery blue eyes, and a death-grip on his dress pants. "C'mon! C'mon!" She yanks at him until he acquiesces and stumbles toward one of the hallways. Maybe she needs help finding the bathroom?
"This creep wants to kidnap me!"
Ah, fuck. Jason really, really hopes he won't have to go Red Hood at the Wayne gala. (He will if he finds out there's a creep gunning for children, though. He's sure Bruce won't mind too much. Probably.)
"Hold on," Jason tugs them to a stop and kneels down to eye-level. Her expression contorts into an angry pout. He keeps his voice calm and low like he does when speaking with the street kids. "Kid, who wants to kidnap you? Where's your mom and dad?"
The kid rolls her eyes like he's stupid, which... okay, that's kinda funny. He presses his lips together to stop the instinctual twitch of a smile. Be serious, Jason.
"I don't have a mom. My dad's here. I went to get some lemonade and the fruitloop kept tryin' to get me to go with him! But he's creepy and doesn't have my toothpaste!"
Okay, unpacking the toothpaste comment later. "Who's your dad? We'll find him and I'll take care of the... fruitloop." Jason holds out his hand, letting her choose to unclench his pants and instead hold his hand. She eyes him critically before huffing a dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes so hard her little head goes wobbling with it, and clasps his hand. This time, Jason doesn't stop himself from a little smile. She's definitely a snarky little kid.
"My dad's Danny Fenton 'an I'm Ellie." Ellie pauses before squinting at him, asking, "An' who're you?"
"Jason Todd-Wayne. Let's go find your dad, kid."
It turns out finding Mr. Fenton was easier than expected since Ellie was actually bringing him to her father to "help beat up the creep". ("Why didn't you just say that, kid?" "Hey, you're the one who questioned me! What are you, a cop?") What Jason doesn't expect is seeing a well-built man in a fitted dark suit, white-blond hair slicked back into a side part, and small silver galaxy piercings. It takes a second to realize the man is pinning an older man to the wall, growling with such a deep baritone that it practically vibrates in Jason's bones.
"-carve your core out of your goddamn corpse, Vlad. Where. Is. My. Daughter?" Mr. Fenton punctuates each word by tightening his grip on the other man's throat, eyes shining a deadly green (Lazarus, acidic and burning, Jason's mind whispers, it makes his gut clench and his palms sweat and his breath stutter). His heart is beating quickly, Mr. Masters opens his mouth, and-
"Dad!" Ellie practically screams. Both men's attention snap to her, answering with a simpering "little badger" and relieved "Ellie!" simultaneously. Mr. Fenton practically flings Mr. Masters to the side with no effort before enveloping Ellie in a bear hug. One she returns with equal fervor. "Dad, I brought a protection spirit to help you!"
Mr. Fenton's eyes snap to Jason and... soften. Slightly. Still intense with the chokehold protectiveness of a father, assessing, but with a sort of empathy that feels too... too much. Too aware, like Mr. Fenton can see straight into Jason's soul and finds kinship there.
"Mr. Wayne-," Mr. Fenton starts.
"Jason Todd-Wayne. Just Jason." He keeps his voice steady and low.
"Danny Fenton. Just Danny, then. Thank you for finding Ellie. I'd thought-," Danny turns to Mr. Masters, squinting and clenching his jaw for a moment. Mr. Masters scoffs and brusquely smooths the wrinkles from his suit collar but wisely doesn't say anything. Danny's eyes find Jason's again. They're almost hypnotic. "Anyways, thank you. You don't know how much it means to me."
"I do," Jason finds himself saying. The weight of his words feels strangely heavy. There's something buzzing and screaming at him, saying this interaction is important, to tread carefully. Like a promise and an acceptance and something other-worldly. He means say something like just doing my civic duty, you're welcome. Instead (to his own stupefaction and befuddlement), he says, "You're my duty."
To which he watches Danny's face immediately go slack with shock, Mr. Master's stifled sputter of outrage, and Ellie giggles. (Jason will never live this down, oh my god.)
(Fortunately, Danny invites him for coffee after the gala. Unfortunately, he also explains he's not quite... entirely human. And neither his Jason. And Jason may have just pledged allegiance to the fucking Ghost King??)
((Also, Jason absolutely puts Vladmir Masters on his kill-on-sight list after Danny explains Vlad is a 'family friend' who often tormented him growing up and occasionally tries to kidnap his daughter. Red Hood may or may not have been sighted in Wisconsin setting a certain millionaire's mansion on fire.))
