Work Text:
As You Wish
/ / /
“If you fall and break your neck, Jaybird, I’m going to kill you.”
Jason laughs from his spot atop Roy’s roof, hanging Christmas Lights.
When Roy phoned Jason yesterday asking if he’d like to come help him decorate his new place for Christmas he’d expected Jason to say Yes , but was not prepared for the younger man to hop on the first flight from Gotham to Star.
Jason knocked on Roy's door bright and early at 6 am this morning, and Roy stared dumbly at him for a moment before letting him in, muttering under his breath.
Fucking Bats…
Over a cup of coffee, Roy explained to Jason that he didn’t actually have Any decorations yet. He was going to go buy them today, figuring Jason wouldn’t get in till this evening at the earliest.
Jason merely rolled his eyes at that and started making a list.
They needed lights for the house and the tree in Roy’s front yard for some reason.
Various lighted decorations was all the next line said.
And at the bottom, right below Wreaths, read
Real Tree
Roy had barely finished his cup of coffee before they were out the door and headed to the home improvement store.
After the first cart was filled, and Jason told Roy to go grab a second, Roy tried to protest. Tried to explain that he really just wanted to hang with his best friend who he definitely missed only a moderate amount and that they really didn’t need to go this hard on the Christmas decorations.
Jason had silenced him with a look.
It’s your first Christmas in your house with Lian.
Don’t you want it to be magical?
Roy sighed, left his Yes God dammit, to himself, and went and got the second cart.
Two carts full of stuff later, Roy watched Jason as he paid for everything–Roy didn’t even try and stop Jason.
They were both a bit weird with money. Having lived at both extremes of having not a penny to more than they could count.
So he let Jason buy the lights and the inflatables and the wreaths without protest.
He did buy the tree, however, telling Jason could help by bringing it in the house.
It wasn’t even 9 am by the time they got the tree set up in the living room and Roy was thankful that Lian had stayed the night with Ollie and Dinah and wouldn’t be home until dinner.
Normally Lian doesn’t stay with them quite that long, but Roy had mentioned Jason would probably be dropping by and they had offered to watch Lian longer so he and Jason could have more kid-free time together.
Roy almost told them he didn’t think Jason would show up till the evening, but some alone time was always nice and Roy had learned long ago to not look a gift horse in the mouth.
And in the end, Jason showed up at 6 am and was now hanging lights on the top of his roof so it all worked out in the end.
Maybe.
“I jump off buildings higher than this all the time!” Jason calls down to him.
Roy glances around, hoping none of his neighbors are listening.
“That’s not the point!”
Jason laughs again, and even from the ground, Roy can see his smirk.
“You gettin’ soft on me Harper? Worried I’ll get hurt?”
Yes.
“Worried about my homeowner’s insurance going through the roof, actually!”
I don’t know what I’d do without you.
“Don’t look now Roy, but I think the retirement home’s calling.”
Roy flips Jason off and watches as he hangs the last few lights, before climbing off the roof.
Jason’s laughing the whole time and even though it’s him he’s laughing at, it makes Roy happy to hear.
It’s a sound he doesn’t hear nearly often enough.
Jason walks off towards the sidewalk to admire their work (mostly Jason’s but Roy definitely handed him some lights at some point).
The house is outlined in lights–even the windows–and the trunk and several of the large branches of Roy’s tree are wrapped in lights as well.
It looks perfectly wonderful in Roy’s opinion.
But Jason used the word Magical and there’s still a trunk full of decorations for them to put up.
Not to mention getting the lights on the tree still, so they can decorate it once Lian gets home.
“Let’s start with the snow globe and then we’ll decorate around it with everything else.”
Roy gives Jason a mock salute, “Yes, Sir!”
Jason shoves his shoulder, laughing.
“Remember to lift with your knees, old man.”
* * *
In the end, Roy has an inflatable snow globe of the north pole, a family of light-up reindeer, two penguins carrying gifts, and a polar bear building a snowman running around his yard.
The path leading up to the house is lit with giant snowflakes, and large light-up ornaments have been added to the tree as well.
It’s the best-looking house on the block.
“Lian’s going to love it, Jaybird.”
It might just be the cold, but Roy swears Jason blushes at the comment.
“You’ll have to let me know what she says when she sees it,” he says quietly.
What?
Roy blinks at his best friend, trying to make sense of what Jason’s just said.
“She’s going to be home in like three hours, Jaybird. And we’re decorating the tree together later–remember?”
Jason looks too surprised for Roy’s liking.
“Oh.”
A terrible thought crosses Roy’s mind then.
“Did you think I just invited you out here to help me hang some lights, and then I was going to send you back to Gotham–without even seeing Lian maybe?”
The silence between them is deafening.
“It’s the holidays,” Jason says in a whisper. “I didn’t want to intrude.”
Roy stares at his best friend like he’s an idiot.
Which they both are, admittedly.
“You’re never intruding, Jason.”
Jason nods his head but he won’t look at Roy either and so Roy throws caution to the wind and keeps talking.
“I invited you out here because I miss you . Yeah, I thought it would take you longer to get here but I don’t mind 6 am wake-up calls when it’s you. And if you ever stay less than 24 hours–and without seeing Lian–the world better be fucking ending.”
That gets a small smile out of Jason, the tension in his shoulders relaxing.
“I–hell–if I had my way, Jason–”
Roy’s really not sure why he’s telling Jason this. They’re both better at emotions these days–it’s called personal growth or something–but Jason still has the tendency to run when either of them starts to get too sentimental.
“–if I had it my way you’d be living here with us.”
Jason looks up at him then, eyes wide and almost hopeful.
And that makes Roy’s stomach flip for some unknown reason and he quickly tries to go back to an easy-going and light-hearted tone, not wanting to send Jason running back to Gotham.
Wrapping an arm around Jason’s shoulders, Roy starts leading him toward the house.
“Seriously, Jaybird. Anytime you want to leave the doom and gloom of Gotham behind–just say the word. I have a whole guest room ready for you.”
Jason tenses a bit, and for a moment Roy thinks he sees a frown replaced the smile on his face.
But it’s gone in a flash and might just have been a trick of the light.
Roy shakes his head, trying to clear it.
“Let's take a break and grab some lunch–then we’ll break out the rest of the lights for the tree.”
* * *
The lights prove to be more difficult than expected.
Despite being brand new, they make a tangled mess of them, trying to get them out of the boxes.
Lian will be home in about an hour and their dreams of getting the lights on the tree before she gets home are dwindling by the minute.
“Jesus fucking shit christ fuck.”
Roy stifles a laugh, watching Jason take a deep breath, clearly meant to keep himself from tearing the lights apart.
“I was going to get a pre-lit tree, but this is a far better use of our time together.”
Jason chucks the ball of lights at Roy.
“I thought you said you wanted to spend Quality time together,” Jason teases, both irritated and amused by him.
Roy shrugs and attempts to untangle the lights.
“I mean we could be watching Die Hard but this is Definitely more fun.”
He hands Jason a section of lights he’s managed to untangle. It’s one end of the string so hopefully, they have the rest sorted out soon.
“You and I have very different definitions of the word Fun, you know?”
Roy huffs, pulling a few more lights free.
“We can watch The Princess Bride after if you really want–even though it’s not a Christmas movie.”
It’s Jason’s turn to laugh, and with enough lights free, he starts to look around for a power outlet, letting out a quiet Ah-ha! when he spots one.
“You know that’s all I want for Christmas right? You and a couple of movies that are as old as we are.”
Roy blinks as the lights turn on, the world tilting as he realizes suddenly why he misses Jason so much when they’re apart.
Why he watches period dramas and Jason listens to true crime podcasts.
Why he really wasn’t that surprised to find Jason on his doorstep at 6 am.
And why he just assumed Jason would be staying and decorating the tree with him and Lian.
Jason’s still talking, rambling on about what makes a Christmas movie a Christmas movie as he starts to fill the tree they picked out with lights.
Their Christmas tree.
And maybe Roy should take a minute to breathe and think and sort out what he’s going to say but he can’t imagine waiting another second to tell Jason.
Roy’s dived head first into most things in life.
Vigilantism.
Relationships.
Fatherhood.
And Jason was no exception.
Roy decided they were friends about 20 minutes after Jason and Kori broke him out of jail.
Decided they were best friends when he found out about Lian and Jason was the first person he told.
And he’s probably been in love with Jason for years now.
So why beat around the Christmas tree now that he realizes it?
He doesn’t have to use the words I love you, but he can say it all the same.
Jason reaches down to gather more lights and Roy’s voice is quiet but clear and sure.
“All I want for Christmas is you, Jaybird.”
Jason freezes, his hand caught halfway between himself and the tree.
“What?” he whispers.
Roy smiles up at him and shrugs.
“I want one thing for Christmas, Jaybird.”
A moment passes, then two.
“You.”
Jason regards him for a long moment, and just when Roy begins to feel nervous, he starts to feel warm all over instead.
Smiling, Jason tilts his head a little and whispers,
“As you wish.”
Roy smiles back at him, but before he can say or do anything else the front door bursts open.
“Daddy! We have a snow globe and penguins and—Jayjay!”
Lian runs past her father and launches herself at Jason, who catches her easily even if he’s a bit surprised by her sudden appearance.
They both laugh as Jason spins them around.
He’s still holding onto the lights, however, and soon he and Lian and tangled up together, laughing while Ollie comes walking in the door.
“What in the samhill—”
Jason and Roy both snort while Lian giggles.
Ollie looks at the three of them, shakes his head, and slowly back out of the room.
“I was going to ask why you had Santa’s workshop in your front yard but I already know the answer.”
He very subtly gives Roy a thumbs up and Jason and I’ll kill you if you hurt them glare, before waving goodbye and closing the door behind him.
“Are you staying for Christmas, Jayjay?”
Roy looks over to his small child and wonders, not for the first time if Lian’s actually just a miniature Jade in disguise.
Christmas is still 21 days away.
Jason looks at Roy, unsure how to answer.
So Roy answers for him.
“Jason’s going to stay here longer than Christmas.”
Lian starts to jump in Jason’s arms, threatening to topple them over.
Meanwhile, Jason just smiles and says,
“As you wish.”
/ / /