#jaytimweek2018

It’s sad but true. Like Tim has any room to talk though. “So why do I get to be the fake boyfriend then?” he asks instead of replying to Tim’s comment. Tim huffs a sigh, the force of which displaces his bangs from where they hang over his eyes. The young man is always in need of a haircut. “A number of reasons, really. First, she’s the daughter of a rather influential society maven who actually has brains to go with her money.” “That’s rare.” “Tell me about it,” Tim replies sourly. “But her mother has her set on a good match and apparently she’s set her sights on me. We’re pretty close in age.” His disgust at being called a good match is clear and makes Jason laugh again because this is just too funny. “So I need to be your arm candy in hopes of scaring her off by pretending to be bi?” It’s not a bad idea but they all know rich people are into some pretty kinky shit behind closed doors. Tim shrugs and finally picks up his sandwich. “That’s the hope. I already know she doesn’t like lesbians. She made a comment about Steph and Cass the last time they made an appearance together.” Jason makes a face at that. “Talkin’ shit about my two favorite gals? I already don’t like her.” “She was tolerable until that point,” Tim nods in agreement. “But I can’t just tell her off. I made a point to remind her that she was talking about my sister and one of my best friends. She apologized, but it was easy to see she didn’t mean it.” “Why can’t you tell her to piss off?” Tim sighs again. “Because I have a reputation to maintain. If I’m perceived as being difficult, then it makes it harder to do my job.” He gestures to the nice office they’re sitting in at WE. During the last year that they’ve been hanging out, it’s been a common complaint that no one at WE takes him seriously because of his age. At 23, Tim struggles with being acting CEO for the often absent Bruce and balancing college classes on top of his role as Red Robin.

A role Jason can’t help but notice Tim is letting slide more and more. Over the last few weeks in particular, he’s only heard Red on the comms maybe a half a dozen times. He settles a thoughtful eye on the young man. “Shit goin’ down here too?”

Tim runs a tired hand through his hair, messing it up even more, and quietly glares at his desk. “That’s putting it lightly,” he finally says. “I’d rather be going toe to toe with Killer Croc in a dark sewer than face the complete and utter bullshit that’s corporate America.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah.” Tim takes a deep breath and looks up again, settling back in his chair. “So, fake boyfriend. It’ll help relieve some of my stress if you give me a hand.”

Jason pointedly rakes his eyes up and down the young businessman. Tim looks smart and professional in his suit, even if the tie is already at half-mast and his collar undone. But underneath the façade, and what’s probably a ton of concealer, he can see how tired Tim is. Those blue eyes that normally sparkle when he finds something funny are dull, with barely a glimmer of what Jason knows is a situation they should both be finding hilarious.

“Why the hell not?” he agrees. If anything, this will let him keep a better eye on the smaller bird. Sue him if all of this isn’t getting his mother-hen instincts going. “So, what’s the plan I know you’ve already got cooked up in that big brain of yours?”

“Well, since you asked…”

~*~*~*~

It starts simple enough. More public and frequent lunch dates. Trips to the office with coffee during the day. After a month, Tim has them go to a restaurant opening together where they get photographed for the first time. Jason makes it a point to always wear his reading glasses when they’re in public to help dispel any questions about his resemblance to a deceased Wayne adoptee.

There’s nothing complicated about things. They enjoy each other’s company and Jason enjoys the free meals. It’s also a great excuse to make sure Tim is eating too. Red Robin still isn’t on the streets much but the bags are starting to disappear from under his eyes and the gleam is returning when Tim finds something amusing so Jason takes that as a victory. He’s joked before that Tim is the least annoying of his brothers and it’s true. Really though, Tim is closer to him than any brother. Family has always been complicated for Jason and he’s found that he’s more comfortable with forming relationships of his own choice rather than those forced upon him by so-called familial bonds.

That’s what he tells himself at least as it also helps keep people at a distance.

The morning after their first dinner date, Jason’s awakened early by the ringing of his phone. He groans and fumbles for it, the only light in bedroom from the slit in his blackout curtains where he forgot to close it all the way and never bothered to fix it. The phone rings again, and Jason swipes at the screen without really seeing who it is. “Someone better be dead or dying,” he growls hoarsely into the device.

“Well, good morning to you too, sunshine,” Tim chirps in an overly cheerful greeting. “Did someone have a long night?”

Jason groans and rolls over onto his back, rubbing a hand absently over the bare skin of his stomach. “I didn’t go to bed until after five.”

“I thought you stayed in last night after dinner?” Tim questions, sounding slightly distracted now as he apparently starts pulling up reports to see why he would have been out. “Something about too much wine?”

“Yeah, I did. Just me and Jane Austen, having a grand old time.” Jason yawns and stretches. It’s too early, whatever the hell time it was. “Is there a reason you’re callin’ at ass o’clock in the morning?”

“It’s after ten. I waited.”

“Gold fucking star. So what is it?”

“Check your texts,” Tim replies. “We made the front page of the society section.”

He doesn’t want to open his eyes, but Jason grunts and does as he’s been asked. He’s long since learned that when it comes to dealing with Tim, sometimes it’s just best to humor him. Less painful that way.

Tapping on the link Tim sent, Jason squints at the screen, his eyes trying to adjust to the brightness. The picture doesn’t look too bad, actually. They were sitting close together, and his head was bent down to listen to whatever it was Tim had been saying. They’re even smiling, small unguarded smiles that any publication would probably pay through the nose for if it came from Tim Drake-Wayne, one of the most eligible bachelors in the US and probably the world.

“Okay, so we’re not caught with forks in our mouths,” he finally offers.

Tim laughs, that low little huff Jason knows means he’s more amused than he’s letting on. “It’s a great picture actually. Guess who’s already called me about it?”

It takes Jason a moment to remember. “What’s her face…Brittany?”

“Bree,” Tim replies. “Bright and early, left me a message demanding that I call her right away. Says we need to have a little chat about last night.” It’s clear what Tim thinks about that and Jason can’t help but laugh at the disgusted tone.

“You call her back yet?”

“No,” Tim says flatly. “I’m making her stew a little while longer.”

“Brave man. I’ll stop by WE later this afternoon with coffee and you can tell me how that goes. I’m going back to sleep.” Jason yawns pointedly and hangs up without waiting for a reply.

Later that afternoon, as promised, Jason waltzes into Wayne Tower with Tim’s afternoon sugar rush. He wonders if the young executive has realized he’s been sneaking him decaf for the last month and hiding it under an excess of sugar and creamer. The secretary waves him right in, a bright smile on her face as she winks at him while fielding a phone call.

Tim is also on the phone when Jason enters the office, closing the door securely behind him. He looks annoyed and is so very ready to be anywhere else but here, but he wordlessly takes the coffee from him and continues pacing around his desk, occasionally interjecting a comment here and there as he listens to someone yelling on the other end.

Jason has a pretty good idea of who that is, so he makes himself comfortable on the sofa and pulls an old paperback out of his jacket pocket, tuning out the escalating argument. He’s moved on to a precursor of Jane Austen’s works, a novel titled Evelina, and is deeply entrenched in it when Tim finally flops down in a disgusted heap next to him.

“Rough day?” he asks mildly.

“It’s been a good day until that call” Tim takes off his glasses and rubs at his eyes.

“Bree?”

He nods. “Bree.”

Jason waits and puts his book away. It won’t take long for Tim to speak up.

“It’s working,” he finally says, his head resting on the back of the sofa with his eyes closed. “She kept going on about how she thought we had an understanding. The papers are full of speculation over who you are and what we are, so she’s feeling a little insecure about her place in my world.”

There’s an odd mix of amusement and disgust coming from Tim and Jason can’t help but laugh. “What place?”

“That’s what I said,” Tim replies. “She screamed at me and hung up.”

Jason laughs even harder and sits upright. “Well, that sounds like mission accomplished to me. I say we go out and celebrate tonight. I got a little gang war brewing in the Bowery that I need to put a stop to. Could use the company.”

But Tim is already shaking his head. “Not yet,” he disagrees. “Let’s give it a few more weeks and see what happens.” He cracks open a pale blue eye. “I could use the exercise though. Vent some frustration.”

“Cracking skulls and breaking kneecaps. Time honored coping mechanisms in this family.” Jason nods sagely.

“Amen.”

~*~*~*~

A couple weeks later, they’re having lunch at a little bistro in Old Town that Jason has grown to love. It’s close enough to WE that it’s easy to get Tim out of the office and walk there, with the added bonus of what passes for sunshine and fresh air in Gotham. Today, Tim is unusually quiet. Jason lets him be during the meal, but when the normally contained man starts fiddling with his spoon, he finally speaks up.

“You’re awfully quiet, Red. The board up your ass again or something?”

Tim makes a face and reaches into the inner pocket of his suit jacket to pull out a folded piece of paper. “I wish.” He slides it across the table to Jason.

Picking it up, Jason grimaces as he reads the invitation to an upcoming charity event. “That’s a pretty invitation.” He sees where this is going. There’s only one reason why Tim would bring this up.

“It is,” Tim agrees. “And since it’s a Wayne event, my attendance is compulsory.” He levels a tired stare at Jason, who hands the paper back to him.

“Black tie event.” He can’t remember the last time he wore a tux.

“Yup.”

Jason waits, wanting to make him work for it. Tim finally quirks that little half smile of his that used to drive him nuts and slides a hand across the table to pick up his much larger hand. Long fingers rub soothing circles over bruised knuckles before he speaks. “Jason, will you go to the charity gala with me? I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”

Well, that was more than he expects. “Sure, since you asked so nicely. I’m gonna need an Alfred-approved straightjacket, aren’t I?”

Tim’s eyes light up in a way that sends butterflies fluttering through Jason’s stomach. He swallows hard and reminds himself this isn’t real. But as they leave the restaurant, Tim nattering on about where he can get a quick fitting for his monkey suit, Jason can’t help but notice they’re still holding hands.

~*~*~*~

There’s a lot of things Jason doesn’t miss about life as a Wayne heir and this charity event certainly qualifies as one of them. Unlike other events though, he knows the majority of the funds donated tonight actually make it to where they’re needed rather than lining someone’s pocket. He sips at his champagne and does his job, standing tall and handsome next to Timothy Drake-Wayne as the shorter man schmoozes his way around the room.

Someone taps on his shoulder and Jason turns to see a grinning Dick Grayson behind him. He lets himself be pulled aside, Tim not saying a word, but he does get the play nice look before he’s left to the wolves.

“You know, there’s a word for what you’re doing tonight,” Dick says as he plucks the champagne out of Jason’s hands and replaces it with what he hopes is scotch or whiskey.

“Arm candy?” Jason retorts and takes a welcome sip at the darker liquor. It’s scotch. “Whoring myself out to the highest bidder?”

His brother laughs and slaps a hand on Jason’s broad shoulder. “I was going with the former,” he says. “Tim told me what’s been going on.”

Jason shrugs because it’s not like they’ve been keeping things secret. That would defeat the point actually. “Yeah, I’m just helping him out. I get free meals out of it and we all get the peace of mind knowing Tim is eating something other than protein bars at least once every 24 hours.”

“Alfred says thanks for that by the way.” Dick pauses and takes a sip of his own drink. “I also want to give you a heads up…you know who just arrived a few minutes ago. From the glimpse I saw, she’s dressed to kill.”

Jason laughs at that and downs the rest of the finger of scotch in one smooth motion. He hands the glass back to Dick. “Well, whaddya know? So am I.”

With that, he winks and makes his way back through the crowd to take up his position at Tim’s side again. Tim arches an eyebrow at him in question. Leaning down, Jason whispers in his ear. “Bree has entered the building. Dickie says she’s dressed to impress too.”

A small smirk graces Tim’s lips momentarily. “Game on.”

They weave in and out of different circles of people, Tim chatting up donors with a smooth aplomb that only comes from years of practice. Jason doesn’t mind hanging back in the slightest, the social maneuvering of everyone desiring to be seen with Tim making him laugh quietly to himself. He can just imagine how these people would bring up the encounter, relishing the chance to say they’d spoken with Tim Wayne. Maybe if he’d lived, this would be him standing here, doing his best to field questions with answers that mean absolutely nothing at all.

But if he’d lived, then Tim wouldn’t be here. Not like this at least.

His mind must have wandered a bit too much as Tim clenches the sleeve of his jacket tightly. “She’s coming,” he warns quietly.

Jason looks around and spots an absolute bombshell stalking towards them. Dressed to kill may have been an understatement as the brunette is stunning. Tasteful jewelry and a headful of large curls, the red sheath dress she wears reveals everything and nothing at the same time, the fabric clinging to curves that almost make Jason’s mouth water before he remembers she’s public enemy number one. “You didn’t tell me she’s hot,” he mutters back.

“Does it matter?” Tim glowers at him.

“No,” he replies glumly. “Let’s do this.”

The young heiress approaches them, her red lips smoothly sliding into a predatory smile as she greets Tim. “Hello, darling. Do you have a few minutes to spare? There’s something I’d like to speak with you about.”

Jason doesn’t miss that she pointedly pretends not to see him standing there at Tim’s side, his large hand resting on the small of his back.

Tim smoothly deflects her. “I believe I said everything that needed to be said a couple weeks ago. I’m quite happy with my current relationship.” He smiles up at Jason for good measure.

If looks could kill, Jason is positive he’d be a dead man for the second time in his life. He wants to laugh because this shit is just too funny. Tim doesn’t seem to think so though, his back tense under Jason’s hand.

“What relationship?” Bree retorts bitterly. “All the two of you ever do is go out to eat. You barely hold hands and never once did my PI catch you kiss.” She leans in close and Jason catches a whiff of a rather nice perfume. “I think this is all a sham. You’re trying to avoid commitment, Tim.”

Jason has to bite his cheek to keep from laughing this time because this chick just nailed Tim to perfection. Commitment phobe, thy name is Wayne, in all shapes and sizes.

Tim tries to keep his reply level and polite. “I can think of many couples who don’t go in for public displays of affection.”

“You did with Tam Fox. You’re comfortable with this man, but nothing in your body language screams couple like it did with her.”

Ouch. Jason will definitely grant that point to Bree because Tim and Tam were adorable together and everyone knew it.

“If we kiss, here and now, in front of all these people, will you leave my boyfriend and I alone?” The question comes out of nowhere and Jason’s mouth dries at the thought of locking lips with Tim. Not that he hasn’t wondered what it would be like, especially of late, but this isn’t quite how he thought (hoped) it would happen.

Bree does not look happy at the offer. “You wouldn’t dare. You’re as straight as I am, Tim, for all that you’re playing around trying to prove your point and get back at me for what I said about your sister. I already apologized for that.” She bats her eyes prettily at the last part.

“I never claimed to be straight,” Tim replies, his voice starting to grow dark with anger. It’s bordering on his Red Robin voice, which makes Jason rub soothing circles over Tim’s back to wordlessly calm him down. No one needs to find out something they shouldn’t, not here and not because of this woman.

Just like the mini-Bat he is Tim chooses action over inaction. He turns and smoothly wraps his arms around Jason’s neck in a move that speaks of long practice and ease rather than the first time. Jason tries to keep the surprise from his face as he settles his other hand on Tim’s narrow waist. “Sorry about this,” he whispers as he rises up on his toes.

“Don’t be,” Jason manages to reply before he’s robbed of his voice by Tim’s lips settling over his. He tries to keep it chaste and clean considering their venue and the people surrounding them who have all been surreptitiously listening into the brewing argument but his will is quickly overpowered as Tim surges forward, licking into his mouth like this will be the only chance he has. Jason lets himself be devoured and tries to reciprocate when Tim attempts to withdraw. He didn’t realize until now just how badly he wants this, wants all of this to be real.

When they finally pull apart, it’s with a number of shorter presses of their lips, neither one of them willing to be the one who ends it.

Jason takes a deep breath when he finally withdraws, winded as though he just finished a wild chase through the streets of Gotham. He takes a small amount of solace in the fact Tim does the same, with a look of utter amazement in his icy blue eyes.

A small round of applause interrupts their contemplation of each other and they abruptly jerk away from each other in surprise. Looking around, Bree is no longer there, but Dick is, grinning larger than life.

“About time,” is all he says before disappearing back into the crowd.

“What?” Jason tries to ask but Tim grabs him by the arm and leads him away, graciously accepting compliments from a few well-wishers as they make their way outside and onto a balcony.

Tim closes the door behind them and leans against it, eyes to the ground as he sorts himself out. That’s fine as Jason’s feeling a bit outside the norm too.

“What just happened?” he finally asks after Tim stays silent for too long.

Laughing eyes meet his, the dull gleam that’s been all too prevalent for months vanished in the blink of an eye. “I think Dick just won a bet.”

“What?” Jason growls, taken aback as this is not anywhere near what he expects the other man to say. He wishes he’d been able to sneak a grapple gun under his jacket as he just wants to be gone from here. “A bet? Is this a fucking joke?”

But Tim’s already holding his hands up and backtracking. “Wait. That came out wrong. I didn’t actually find out about the bet until yesterday.”

“Tim,” Jason says warningly. “Spit it out.”

“I like you,” Tim replies, crossing his arms and still blocking the doors leading back into the hotel ballroom. “I have for a long time but never thought you liked me the same way. Until tonight.”

“You like me,” Jason parrots back. “What is this, high school?”

Tim shrugs, the movement accentuated by the fine cut of his tuxedo. “I have for years, Jason. Years. But I’m also perfectly happy finally having the chance to just be your friend. That alone took us forever.”

Touché. It’s been over five years since Jason last tried to kill Tim. That first year back in Gotham was rough on all of them. “So what was all this then?” he asks, still feeling on the defensive.

“A chance I never expected to have,” Tim replies softly. “The whole thing with Bree was real. As was my request for you to act like my boyfriend for a few months. I didn’t think something like this would happen tonight. I really didn’t. I figured we’d act the couple for a few more weeks and then just drift apart and go back to our usual.”

Jason gets the distinct feeling that’s the last thing Tim wants to do but that he would because he’s not the type to force feelings on someone when it’s clearly not returned. So what does he want then? The thought of going back to their normal routine isn’t something he relishes the thought of. At all. But there’s still the bet.

“What’s the bet, Timmy?”

Tim swallows bravely. “It’s between Dick, Steph, and Cass. Since we started fake dating, they’ve been betting on when it would turn into real dating.”

That’s not too bad actually. He can deal with this. “And you just found out about this yesterday?”

The other man nods.

Jason walks forward, keeping his scowl firmly fixed in place. Tim needs to sweat a little and from the deep breath he’s taking as Jason looms over him, it’s working. “So, is there anything you want to ask me then?”

It takes a moment for Tim to understand. He sags against the door in relief before standing upright again. “Jason, will you go out with me? For real this time.”

Jason raises a hand and runs the tip of his fingers over Tim’s cheek, ghosting them down onto his thin lips. “I suppose so. One thing though.”

“What’s that?” Tim breathes, a warm puff of air against his skin.

“I don’t put out until after the third date.”

"Wishful thinking, that's what it is. How about those models whose photos were digitally enhanced? How could their soulmate know they were 'the one'?" Jack continued, oblivious to the exchange of amused glares between Tim and Dana.

"Well, I would say that when you found The One, you'll know it, you know? History is filled with the glorious stories of those believing that their spouse is The One; but it's also filled with as many heartbreaks, right?" Dana remarked, ruffling Tim's head as she went to the sink. "I think the concept of 'soulmate' is something that was created to give people hope. That they have someone, somewhere, waiting for them; that they will never be alone. Maybe some did end up alone, after all, but at least they have that hope, still, in their hearts. Maybe it's that hope that makes us human, you know?"

"--and yet humankind continued to thrive; soulmate or otherwise. As long as they can feed, procreate, I'd say we're all fine without the superstitious mumbo-jumbo."

Dana winked at him from over his father's head. Tim cursorily wondered what his mother would have said of the matter, or the matter that Dana believed that she has eventually wedded her soulmate that is Jack Drake.

The second time Tim saw his soulmate, was when Batman and Nightwing were reviewing footages of the Red Hood. Without the villain even removing his helmet, Tim knew who it was.

As it was, Batman and Nightwing were equally reluctant to reveal who the Red Hood was. More reluctant, even, to let Tim go and face him. Until, unfortunately for all - Tim included - the Red Hood decided to go find him and face him. In the Titans' Towers, no less.

It was hard and heartbreaking for Tim. His father had died, following the deaths of his two best friends. But his sense of self-preservation - some would argue that it was his lack of self-preservation - prevailed, and he fought. He fought hard. He'd lost, obviously. Fact is that Red Hood's - Jason's - arms and legs were twice the size of Tim's own. Fact is that - even at mere 18, Jason was nearly six feet to Tim's 5'5". Fact is that he was fueled by anger. And the biggest cause of said anger was Tim, who had replaced him - as he'd said.

Tim had always thought that he'd felt something soft, warm, and maybe a little wet, pressed gently to his forehead. But in his defense, he was a little unconscious, and maybe even concussed, by that time. Plus, the surveillance cameras in the tower had only caught Jason knelt by Tim's side after he'd knocked Tim unconscious.

There were more instances of their meets that ended up with a whole load of violence since then. But there were other instances where they had ended up side-by-side, or back-to-back, defending each other. Tim kept Jason at arm's length, while at the same time trying to figure out how to include Jason back into the ever-expanding family's fold.

Dana's words of 'maybe that hope is what makes us human' rang in his ears that night. Dana has long since gone, her psyche and memories forever ruined when Jack was murdered. Her sister in Tennessee had taken her over to care for her, and the only contact Tim had with her was the occasional texts from her sister, saying she's okay.

That night, he came in from his Wayne Enterprises office to find Jason perched on a windowsill.

"Long time no punching." Jason remarked.

Okay, that might or might not put Tim into fighting stance. Sure, Jason might have behaved generally fine. But it's Jason, really. Highly unpredictable, mostly volatile and combustible, generally hating the BatFam. Except maybe Cassandra - Black Bat.

"You're not here to fight me or anything like that, are you?" Tim had to ask.

"No," Jason replied, his voice sounding amused. Tim still could not see his eyes, or his ever-present helmet. He could see from the silhouette that Jason was not wearing said helmet. "Not looking for favors, either. I'm not wounded. Maybe a little battered and bruised, but not from today." Jason finally shifted from his perch, and Tim could see that he was - in fact - in casual clothing. Leather jacket notwithstanding.

"Okay," Tim sighed. "What do you need from me, Jason?"

Jason glared at him, a little too intently to Tim's liking, a tad making Tim wondered if the 'not looking for favors' or 'not planning on bludgeoning Tim' part of his presence were lies. When he tossed something toward Tim, he was almost ready to reach for the vase to throw back before his eyes caught a glimpse of the 'thing'.

A photograph.

A photograph of Tim, to be exact, in his Robin costume. In fact, if Tim's memories serve correctly - and they usually do, barring concussions - that photo had to be taken in the second year of his patrols with Batman. He knew each and every the alterations on his costume quite well.

"That's me," he noted.

"Yes." Jason's voice was flat. "The instant I saw the little robin behind your photo, I knew who you were."

"Who I was?" Tim asked, a little confused.

"Ra's Al Ghul has a graphite sketch of Melisande, Talia's mother, hung in his private chalet in Switzerland. Even Talia didn't know why it was there, since he had killed her. Or so she said. White Ghost said Melisande was murdered by an apprentice of Ra's. The other guys said he saw a lotus behind her that he didn't draw." Jason explained. "Back then, before the creation of a photography camera, people saw their soulmates when they paint them. There were so, so many painters back then who'd marry their models - not because they were exceptionally beautiful, but because the painter saw it."

"Oh..." Tim looked at the photo, and then it hit him. "Oh!"

"Yeah, 'Oh'. I took that photo. Imagine how I'd felt when I saw it and realized what it means, and that Talia practically had challenged me to kill you."

"Not good." Tim commented.

"Not good at all." Jason agreed.

They were silent for some long moments, before Tim gathered enough of his thoughts, and courage, to ask. "So what now?"

Jason shrugged. "Now, well, we're not killing and/or punching each other. And you know what I'm supposed to be for you and vice versa. How about we just live life one day at a time?"

He was actually standing near Jason, by the windows. Jason was still looking out the window, but Tim could make out the red flush on his face.

"Do you..." he started, waving his hands and inwardly cursing his eloquence.

"Just as a reminder that I'm still a dangerous person." Jason said, inhaling sharply.

"Yeah, that I kinda can't forget..." Tim deadpanned. "So you want to live up to the soulmate thingy and live one day at a time, see where it would bring us?"

"That's about it in a nutshell." Jason fiddled with something. Tim took a step back, assessing. Realizing that there was no more alarm blaring in him. "That is, if you're okay with it." Jason added hastily, as if an afterthought.

"Okay," Tim said, feeling a little proud that his voice didn't crack or waver.

"Okay?"

"Yeah, okay. One day at a time."

Jason suddenly brightened, his whole face sparkled - metaphorically, thank goodness - and Tim could remember clearly where he had seen such expression.

A long time ago.

On the first photograph of Robin - Jason in Robin costume - where Tim had seen his soulmate. In the same form that Jason had seen in the photo of Tim.

"Great!" Jason exclaimed. "Now, you had your dinner or not? 'Cause I've heard of this great old diner, one of Gotham's few that's not been destroyed by whoever villain-du-jour the Bat is facing, down at Tricorner. Wanna go and try it?"

"In costume or not?" Tim asked - just as precaution.

Jason huffed and scowled. "Eh, one day at a time, right?"

"Costume it is." Tim realized. It would be least awkward if their... extended 'family' has seen them if they were in costume.

Watch out, I didn’t mean for this to be 1000ish words long, but here we are anyway…

First up, I visited Houston uuuuh, two months ago ish, and went to see Space Center Houston, got some tours around NASA, listened to some people really excited about space and the history of space exploration, and what do you know, I was enthralled.

I’ve always really loved space, and stars, and that movie Apollo 13 with Tom Hanks in it, but I’d never really gotten a full understanding of what the “Space Race” really meant, against the Russians and everything. 1960’s America poured literally everything in to go to the moon, spending what would have been trillions today to make that 1969 moonwalk happen.

A few people died to do this because space travel is dangerous, and I was low key going to put Jason in Apollo 1, which, ahem, was the one that suffocated it’s crew due to a fire that broke out in the capsule one the landing pad – the fire was put out quickly I believe, but because the Velcro in there had melted, the fumes made the air toxic – but I didn’t really want to do that just because we all know Jason dies.

So I decided to put Jason in Apollo 10 – Apollo 8 was a milestone in that it was the first time humans had orbited the moon, and Apollo 11 was the “Eagle has landed” (first man on the moon) and also too much of a milestone to touch by clumsily inserting in DC characters. I’ve set this in like an alternate history very similar to our own, so Apollo 10 – the mission that was a trial run for walking on the moon – seemed like a good compromise. That’s why Tim’s saying “Don’t go into the [Lunar Module]” – not because they didn’t fill it with enough fuel to get back off the surface of the moon, but because they didn’t want any fame-happy astronauts walking on the moon (or being on the surface on the moon via the LM) before NASA was ready (what if something goes wrong?).

I think that also captures, to me, Tim – definitely willing to lie to the person he loves to keep them safe. Tim here is Capcom, capsule communication – I’m pretty sure I got his desk position correct. He would be the main guy in the astronauts ears throughout the mission (it’s easier to listen to one person giving you instructions that a roomful) – so he’s got his oracle-like role like fanon likes to have him – so that’s why he’s telling Jason he’s going to bring him home, because he’s going to be the one to lead them in what they need to do. NASA liked to have other astronauts as Capcom, mostly because they’d use the same ‘language’ and be understood easier as they’ve trained together, so I like the idea that Tim is probably slated for Apollo 12 in this AU.

(I wrote LEM on there for Lunar Module – I liked LEM because that’s how it’s pronounced, but wasn’t sure whether to keep it upper-case – LEM stands for Lunar Excursion Module, and I can’t think off the top of my head whether LEM was first, or LM was first in terms of terminology).

The other guy there is in the PR position, publicity or something. I’m not sure who it is, might just be some rando, but I put a blonde head there because I like Gar (Beastboy) and his aspiration to be an actor. 😊

Also, like the thing I’m most proud of in this mini comic is Jason’s right hand. He’s placed it on the console because he wants to casually lean, but he also really wanted to touch Tim but stopped himself just in time because what a scandal it would be if it were found out that one of America’s top hopes, an astronaut, were gay (again, I don’t know much about the climate with homophobia in 1960s so I’m just supposing). So Jason just is kind of flexing his hand in panels 2 and 3 waiting for the other guy to leave. Then the hand indicates that Jason’s stepping forward, he’s ready to reach out to Tim, but tentative at the same time. Tim isn’t shy at all, and comes straight up to place his hand on the Apollo 11 patch, thus giving Jay to confidence to finally pull Tim in, in such a public place.

Uh, yeah, this is set the night before Apollo 11 launch, May 18th 1969, honestly I have no idea what they would be doing to prepare for the launch the night before, so this was my best bet.

Most of the rest is that I just ran out of time for anything else – the consoles in the background should all have monitors and buttons and shading on them, but I didn’t draw them in my traditional-medium inking phase, and I literally spent 2 hours on word bubbles and 4 hours on photoshop washing and shading in the past two days so, I’m just happy it’s finished. : D (I’d done the sketching and inking for like 30 min bursts in like 2 weeks, back a month ago when I had tiiiiiiiime…..they still came out derpy though omg).