Chapter Text
No job, no money, no family. Jason was not well liked in the little village he called home. Disgusted looks were constantly thrown his way, even when he did nothing wrong. Other children steered clear of him and adults held their belongings close.
None of it bothered him anymore. It had been this way before his parents passed away and would continue long after. Still, the weariness of the townsfolk made his job a little harder. After all, pickpockets couldn't work when all eyes were on them.
With few options, Jason usually targeted travelers. The wealthy looking ones if he could, but it really wasn't up to him. Becoming a pick pocket hadn't been either, his father had put him up to it before he could even understand what theft was, and now it was either theft or starvation.
So he walked the streets of the village, hoping that someone new might be traveling its streets. He hadn't eaten a proper meal in days and with the weather starting to turn colder, that could very well lead to illness and everything that came with that.
Jason kept his head down once he found his mark. A rich looking man, distracted by his child who excitedly spoke a mile a minute. For just a moment, he felt an ache in his chest. A longing for someone to look at him as affectionately as this father looked at his child… He shook his head to focus on the task at hand. Surely he wouldn't mind if a few coins of his went missing. The rich were supposed to enjoy charity, after all.
Without drawing too much attention to himself, Jason bumped the man. His malnourished body proved to be quite useful at times like these, normally his target didn't even notice Jason was there until long after their pockets were lighter. This man was no exception.
Jason grinned with excitement when he got his prize. A few silver coins, and a single gold one, more than enough to buy him a couple meals. When he ran away, he couldn't help the hop in his step, even as he felt someone watching him.
Jason smiled wide as he walked up to one of the market stalls. The bread on display smelled delicious and from what he remembered of his last less than legal meal of it, it was very filling.
The baker looked down at Jason over the stall, clearly weary of the dirty child. His expression eased just a little when he pulled out a shiny silver piece from his pocket.
While Jason may have been a thief, no one had too many qualms about taking his coin when he offered.
Jason placed the money on the table, but it didn't seem to want to stay. When he pulled his hand back, the coin came with him as it stuck to his fingers. He stared for a moment, grabbed the coin with his other hand, and tried again.
Once again, the coin refused to leave his hand. That's when Jason started to panic. He flailed his hand wildly in an attempt to dislodge the coin, but it stayed firmly in his hand. He tried one of the other coins in his pocket but they seemed just as keen on remaining in his possession.
Helplessly, Jason looked to the baker who seemed oddly afraid of him.
"Get out of here!" He screamed, drawing the attention of several others at the market. Jason stepped back, terrified as the man grew angry. "Trying to spread your damn cursed money, get out!"
"I-" Jason felt his legs begin to shake. People were staring at him in open disgust. "It's-"
"Get out!" The baker reached under his stall to grab something, but Jason didn't stay to see what it was.
He ran as fast as his legs could carry him until he was at the edge of town gasping for breath. Once he was sure no one had followed him, he sat against a tree and began to examine his money.
He could place the coins in his pocket, but not on the ground. When he tried, they stuck to him. When he tried to pry them off using the ground or tree, it felt like trying to take off a part of his own body. Jason winced when the pulling became painful.
Eventually, he put the cursed coins in his pocket. He brought his knees to his chest and held himself, ready to face another hungry night.
Later that night as Jason tried to fall asleep under the stars, he heard the song of a robin. It was bright and beckoning. Normally, he had no problem sleeping through whatever noise was around him. Tonight however, the call was oddly alluring. Without thinking too much of it, Jason followed the bird song out of the village and into the forest.
By the time Jason regained his wits, he realized he was lost. There was no path to be found, even with the moonlight illuminating the ground almost as brightly as the sun. He looked around until he heard a robin right above him.
Looking up, Jason found not a bird but a boy who looked only a little older than himself hanging out of one of the trees. His eyes, a bright blue, seemed to glow in the moonlight. He grinned as he dropped down with a flip, forcing Jason to scramble away so as not to get crushed by him. When Jason tripped, the boy laughed, light and chirping.
Indignant, Jason felt his cheeks begin to burn. He glared at the strange boy. "Who are you?"
"Me?" The boy pointed to himself, no longer laughing but still sporting a big smile. "Well Mr. Thief, you can call me Robin."
"Thief? I didn’t-"
"Then where did you get those coins in your pocket?"
Jason felt his face burn as he recognized the boy.
"I-" Jason looked away. He stopped himself from apologizing. Even if he did feel sorry, it’s not like he could give the coins back. "I had to-"
"It's not nice to steal," Robin cut him off. He began to pace back and forth as he spoke, not once minding the roots and uneven footing. He moved gracefully, unnaturally so. "Especially not from the fair folk."
"Fair- What are you talking about?" Jason grabbed the gold coin from his pocket. "Were you the one that cursed my money?"
"Not the money, Mr. Thief," Robin walked up to him with a wide grin and tapped him on the nose. "You're the one with the curse."
"Me!? I-"
"You wanted money so bad? You can keep it. Forever."
Robin looked incredibly satisfied with himself. At least, he did until tears began to prick at Jason's eyes.
"Forver?" He looked at his own pitiful reflection in the coin. Tears began to fall down his face despite his attempts to hold back his sobs. It wasn't fair, but nothing ever was. He should be used to this by now, but he just couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. "I j-just wanted to b-buy food..."
There was a moment of silence between the boys as Robin seemed to realize something. He watched Jason with a strange sort of interest.
“You’re a child,” He tilted his head to get a better look at him. His eyes shined with something that Jason couldn’t quite parse. “Where are your parents?”
“My-” Jason glared at the boy through his tears. “I don’t have any!”
A flash of excitement crossed his face fast enough for Jason to wonder if he imagined it. He must have, even the other children weren’t cruel enough to delight in the fact that he was an orphan.
“That’s no good,” Robin placed a hand on his shoulder. Jason shrugged him off but he hovered close by. “Children need to be protected.”
“I’m not- What about you! I don’t see your dad anywhere!”
Robin tilted his head, looking a bit like a bird as he did. “I don’t have a father.”
“Liar! I saw you two today!”
“He took me in, but he’s not my father,” Robin took a seat next to Jason. “My parents are gone.”
A pang of guilt came and went. Jason shoved it away as fast as he could. There was no point in feeling bad for a kid that apparently cursed him. Nor for one that clearly had at least one person who cared about him… It was more than Jason ever had.
“I can help you, if you’d like,” Suddenly, Robin placed his arm around Jason’s shoulders. He was ready to shove him away until he spoke again. “Would you like to come home with me?”
“Why would I want to go home with you?”
“I saw you sleeping under the stars, I can offer you a roof and a warm bed.”
It was tempting. Still, “You cursed me.”
“It was a mistake to do that,” Robin looked genuinely apologetic which felt… strange. People didn’t simply admit they were wrong, especially not to Jason. “I can make it up to you, welcome you as a guest-”
“Why should I-”
“I know someone who can break the curse,” Robin pulled him against him. His body was warm, protecting him from the chill of the night air. It felt… nice. He wasn’t sure he’d ever had someone hold him like this. “Let me take your problems away.”
Jason stared helplessly at Robin’s smile. Bright, welcoming, tempting. It reminded him how some of the older boys in the village would smile at their younger brothers. He’d always been left to solve his own problems, would it really be so bad to let Robin try to do it for him? Slowly, Jason nodded, causing Robin to grin even wider.
Jason stared in amazement at the large manor Robin led him into. The boy practically bounced with excitement. He was a ball of energy in a way that most would find exhausting. Jason was no exception.
"You live here?" Jason couldn't help but notice how cozy the atmosphere was. Warm lights flooded the room, leaving very few shadows. The floors were so pristine, Jason could faintly see his reflection in them. On the wall, hung a large portrait of a boy and his parents. “It’s-”
"Master Robin," Jason jumped as an old man seemed to appear out of nowhere. Robin was not nearly as surprised, offering him a smile as he spoke. "The table has been prepared for your guest. Do give a more advanced notice in the future.”
“Thank you, Alfred. I will.”
Robin grabbed Jason by the wrist (were his nails always so sharp?) and ushered him further into the manor. The light remained constant, though Jason realized he hadn’t seen a single candle. He didn’t have much time to think about that as the sudden smell of food thoroughly distracted him.
It was delicious, putting anything from the village to shame. Jason’s mouth began to water when he actually saw the food. A grand feast was laid out on a large table. Meats, fruits, vegetables, pastries, and a whole assortment of other foods waited for them.
"Are you hungry?" Robin asked with a smirk. Jason didn’t have it in him to be insulted. Days of eating nothing but scraps came to the forefront of his mind. “Dinner is ready, we better eat before it gets cold.”
"I-" Jason's throat suddenly felt dry. He remembered the coins in his pocket. "I can eat this?"
"You’re my guest, it’s only polite that I offer you a meal.”
"I won’t be cursed again?"
“You’re too cautious for a child,” Robin chided as he guided him to a chair. “Let me take care of you, Little Wing.”
“Little Wing?” He asked as Robin took a seat next to him. He began to fill Jason’s plate with an assortment of food.
“I don’t have your name.”
“Jason.”
Robin put the now full plate in front of Jason with a grin full of too sharp teeth. Immediately, his mind screamed danger, but before he could react- “Well Jason, eat to your heart’s content.”
Whatever had scared him before was quickly forgotten in favor of hunger. He grabbed a small roll and started with that.
The bread was fluffy and a little sweet. It made the bread he’d gotten in the village taste like sand in comparison. The roll was gone within seconds, but Jason was far from full. He ate his fill as Robin told him too, each bite making his head feel more fuzzy.
“The food is delicious, isn’t it?” Jason looked over to Robin who had taken a small plate for himself. “Alfred cooks us meals like this every night.”
“...Every night?”
“Yes,” Robin put a hand on his shoulder. Jason couldn’t help but lean into the touch. It made him feel safe. He hadn’t realized how much he craved that feeling until now. “He takes good care of us.”
“You and your father?”
“And my brother,” Robin smiled, brighter than the sun. It made Jason’s chest feel warm. Was this what it felt like to have a family? “You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Jason?”
Jason nodded, not entirely sure what he was agreeing to. It didn’t really matter that much though because Robin was there. Robin would keep him safe.
“You’re going to love living here.”
He was certain he would.
“Aren’t you so happy I found you, little wing?” Something inside him preened at the nickname. He nodded, or at least, thought he did. It didn’t really matter as Robin already knew the answers to his questions. “Now you don’t have to be alone anymore.”
Let me take your problems away.
Jason felt Robin pull him into a tight hug. It was warm and comforting. Jason let out a content sigh as he relaxed in his brother’s arms. He was safe now… From what, he couldn’t quite remember.
An eternity seemed to pass in Robin’s arms. Jason would have happily stayed there forever, but a voice brought his attention back to reality.
“Dick,” Robin’s hold shifted, turning into something more possessive protective. Jason turned and was met with a familiar face. The man… He wasn’t quite sure how he knew him, but he had seen him before. “I was informed you brought a guest.”
“I did.”
“And you fed him.”
“I did.”
“He belongs with his family.”
“He ate our food and gave me his name,” Robin grinned, clearly proud of himself. “I’m his family. He belongs to me.”
“Dick, a child is not a possession to be stolen.”
“There was no one to steal him from,” Robin pulled him closer. “I saved him from the cold and gave him a home. He belongs to me.”
“He is not a pet to keep either.”
“He’s not a pet,” Robin looked down at him with all the fondness in the world. “Jason is my brother.”
“Dick-”
Something clicked in Jason’s mind. He looked up at the man, suddenly recognizing who he was. “Dad?”
Robin’s expression turned from fond to victorious. The man- his father (had it always been this way?) waivered. It took no time at all for his resolve to crumble. He kneeled down in front of Jason so that they were eye level with each other.
“Jason, was it?” He smiled, warm and comforting. Jason smiled back. “Is this really what you desire?”
Jason didn’t quite understand the question, but nodded regardless. How could he possibly want anything else when his family was right here?