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Dick always went overboard when it came to celebrations, particularly birthdays. He just couldn't let a person think they were unloved or unwanted, even for a moment.
Not after Jason.
Tim knew to expect the unexpected, and could only sigh in fond exasperation as he stepped into the manor's living room and a storm of confetti blinded him all of a sudden.
"Happy Birthday, Timmy!" Dick screamed from the other side of the room, arms thrown out wide and a massive grin on his face.
Bruce was standing beside him and rolled his eyes fondly while Stephanie shook her fist in the air dramatically in agreement. All the while Duke flinched, slamming his hands over his ears at their brother's volume.
Damian scoffed in irritation from the couch, arms crossed and a perpetual scowl on his face. He looked at Tim and met his eyes, "He's been shaking in anticipation for the past two hours."
Tim looked back at Dick, who was still smiling, "You've been waiting in here for two hours."
Bruce grunted, sounding almost amused, "Your brother is determined to make sure you know he cares about you."
"'Determined' is one word for it." Duke rubbed his ears soothingly, his expression clearly showing how much he regretted ever moving into the Manor and getting to know these weirdos he called a family.
"Deranged is another." Damian commented from his position, but then Dick turned his gaze to his youngest brother and his eyes went wild . What made Dick's expression worse was that, somehow, his grin grew. Nobody liked that look, especially not Damian. "Don't you dare, Grayson. I will neuter you."
Dick was on him in a flash, scooping him up into the air and into a crushing hug. "Baby Dami!" he cooed, ignoring how Damian thrashed in his grip like a wild animal and actually kissed Damian's cheek. "Don't ruin Timmy's fun, okay, buddy. It's his big day. He's a man now."
Tim groaned, "Really? I'm eighteen. It's not like I'm going to war, and my frontal lobe hasn't even fully developed yet-"
A loud obnoxious groan echoed through the room, "Oh, really, don't be such a nerd all the time, Timmy-tacker." Stephanie flopped onto the couch, landing on Duke.
"Hey!" the younger boy protested.
Tim ignored him and stared down at Stephanie, her face obscured by her messy blond locks. "Timmy-tacker? What kind of name is that?"
Stephanie hummed, intentionally squishing Duke into the corner of the couch as she ignored his continued protests. "Jason gave it to you. You're the one he has the most nicknames for."
The atmosphere changed at the casual mention of Jason's name.
Bruce tensed, going very still all of a sudden. Dick's grin faltered, but only slightly. Damian even stopped trying to rip Dick's ear off with his teeth and instead simply embraced his fate and hung limply in his older brother's arms.
Duke and Steph were completely ignorant, or simply uninterested, in the room's change.
That made sense, of course. Duke and Steph were surprisingly close with Jason. Something which had shocked all of them, save Damian and Alfred somehow.
Well, Alfred made sense. He knew everything, nothing ever phased that man. Damian simply didn't care about Jason... at least, not at first.
Their closeness made Dick jealous, although he would never admit it, but Tim knew him well enough to see that it brought out a very human part of Dick that he wished he didn't have. Dick had tried so hard over the past three years since Jason's return to try and bond with him, to apologize for problems they had from before Jason was murdered by the Joker. Jason had refused any and all apologies and actively avoided Dick, barely even acknowledging him on those rare team-ups they had together.
To see him bond with two people who didn't know the old Jason must've hurt Dick more than he would ever put into words.
Bruce was different, of course. Much harder but not impossible to read, no matter how hard he tried.
Tim knew that Bruce loved Jason and that Jason loved Bruce, although he also recognized that Jason resented him just as much and there were barriers between them only they could cross.
But Tim could tell that Bruce was happy that Jason wasn't completely cut off. That he still spoke to Duke, and Stephanie, and Tim.
Tim liked to think he had the best relationship with Jason out of all of the bats.
Jason helped him out with cases, occasionally let him into his territory without an argument, gave him a key to some of his safehouses, and even left him food that he had made. He never stayed long, never allowed himself to become entangled in an emotional discussion. Tim couldn't blame him for that, though.
He wondered if Jason sensed it, sensed how insufferable Tim could be if he had just an hour to sit down and hang out with Jason alone, to sit and bask in his Robin's presence.
He loved Dick, of course. Respected him and looked up to him.
But Jason was Tim's Robin. He had been the one that Tim had followed out into the dark of the night, onto the soaking wet rooftops and into the black, dangerous alleys where he stole hundreds of pictures of his older brother.
He still had them upstairs, safely tucked away under the floorboards. Jason didn't know.
"Maybe he'll come."
The statement drew Tim out of his memories, his gaze jumping from one person to the other until they landed on Bruce, realizing he had been the one to say it. It had been so quiet, so hopeful, that Tim hadn't been sure at first.
"Maybe he will..." Bruce cleared his throat awkwardly, his stoic façade cracking slightly, and then looked at Tim. "I know it's your day, son. But I think it would be nice if everyone was here. I know Cass is in Hong Kong for a case but... y'know."
Tim smiled, "Yeah. I think it would nice, too, dad."
"What would be nice?"
Tim whirled around and his eyes widened when he saw Jason standing there in the doorway, Alfred standing behind him with a warm, pleased smile on his face.
Tim studied his brother, quietly realizing that this was the first time he had seen Jason in civies in the past three years. He looked good in his thick dark blue sweater, dark denim jeans and a matching denim jacket over the hoodie. He looked like an ordinary college student.
He was happy he wasn't telepathic so he wouldn't have to sense Bruce's despair at the reminder of what could have been, of the life that Jason could've led. The life he had wanted to lead.
They must've been too silent too long because Jason rolled his eyes, "Fuck sake. You don't all have to short-circuit every time you see me, y'know."
Dick was the first to speak, carefully dropping Damian and coming to stand next to Tim but refusing to take his eyes off Jason. "You're wearing blue."
Jason stared then snorted, "You don't own the colour blue, Dickwad."
Dick harrumphed, "Blue's my colour, Little Wing. Red is yours, as you know."
"Actually, red is mine." Tim somehow managed to get himself to speak.
Jason shrugged, "You can have it, baby bird. Purple is my favourite colour."
Stephanie made an affronted noise as she came to stand on the other side of Tim, leaning against him as she rested her elbow on his shoulder. "Purple's mine, Alley. I look so much better in it than you ever would."
Jason snorted, crossing his arms as the corner of his mouth curled slightly, "You look like a fucking eggplant, blondie."
"Language." Alfred said firmly.
Jason blushed, "Sorry, Alfie."
Stephanie blinked at Jason, processing his words, and then her face fell and her eyes narrowed. "Bitch." Alfred raised a brow at her, and even Tim winced at the sight, "Sorry, Alfie." Stephanie apologized quietly.
No one wanted to be on Alfred's bad side, not even Bruce. Especially not Bruce.
Duke giggled from his place on the couch, causing Jason and Steph to glare at him. Duke cleared his throat awkwardly and nervously grinned. "My favourite colour is yellow."
Bruce snorted in amusement, and even Jason smirked. "Of course it is, glowstick."
Damian groaned, "What a ridiculous conversation. Todd, explain your presence, immediately. Surely you have criminals to murder and regrets to stew in."
Everyone turned to glare at Damian, but Bruce was already hovering over him. "Be nice to your brother, Damian. Jason's barely ever here and you'll respect him when he is."
The room itself seemed to wait for Jason's reaction.
Although he had grown slightly closer to the Bats in the past year, a far cry from the hostile arguments and fist fights that characterized the previous two years, he wasn't close with Bruce, Dick, or Damian. Bruce especially seemed to trigger his more "sensitive" insecurities. Tim knew that hurt Bruce more than he would ever admit, that his very presence caused his long lost son pain.
Jason didn't comment on Bruce's defence of him and simply focused on Tim. "Just wanted to say 'happy birthday'. Didn't want the golden boy over here invading my territory because I forgot to send a card."
Tim felt Dick bristle beside him. He hated that nickname more than any other.
"Come now, Master Jason..." Alfred stepped into the room at last, "don't sell yourself short, dear boy. You simply wanted to personally deliver your congratulations and your gifts."
Tim blinked, "Gifts?" he rolled the word around in his mouth, "you brought me presents?"
Stephanie awed, Duke smirked, Damian groaned, and even Bruce stepped closer, becoming more attentive yet made sure to keep a healthy distance between him and Jason. Dick's discomfort was suddenly gone and Tim could practically feel him vibrate with excitement. Damian wasn't kidding. You would think he'd be the one that Jason got presents for. He probably saw this as a step closer to reconciliation.
Jason looked away, red creeping up his throat and causing Dick to giggle, and Steph and Duke to burst out laughing. "He got so embarrassed!" Stephanie pointed at him and made a ridiculous baby face and put on an even more ridiculous voice, "Uhhh, the big bad Red Hood wuvs his wittle, wittle, baby bwother."
Jason scowled, "The big bad Red Hood is gonna kick your fucking teeth down your throat and strangle you with that wig of yours."
Damian smirked, "Do it."
Bruce rolled his eyes, "There'll be no strangling or mutilation today, kids." he looked at Stephanie with a blank expression, "No matter how much one may deserve it."
That only made Steph laugh harder, and suddenly she was on her knees and clutching her stomach.
Damian looked down on her with disdain. "You are a disgrace of a human being, Brown, and father should have never accepted you into our ranks."
Steph laughed harder, falling to the side and kicking her legs as she howled.
Tim looked up from her to lock eyes with Jason, "Can I see my presents now."
That red blush returned, more prominent now and spreading to his cheeks. "Now?" It came out almost hysterical, "Don't you wanna open everyone else's?"
Tim grinned, "No. They can wait."
Alfred suddenly appeared with the gifts. When had he even left? There was a fairly large white box and above it was a longer yet flatter, parcelled gift. Tim couldn't see what either contained from the shape nor size alone.
He stepped forward and gently took the top gift, not even trying not to look excited, and Dick was even more obvious with his anticipation. Steph's laughing, now quieter, became more distant and unimportant.
Tim's eyes widened as he removed the last shred of paper, unveiling a sleek, almost reflective black skateboard with red lining and small robin birds painted into the wood, and the wheels were engraved with Rs and Red Robin insignias. "Jay..." he muttered quietly, awed at the gift.
Jason bustled under the attention, "Listen, don't make a big deal out of it, it's yah birthday, yeah. You're getting fuck all the rest of the year."
Tim laughed, "You say that now." Jason huffed.
Bruce approached and studied the board before looking at Jason with a tiny smile, "That's very thoughtful of you, Jason."
Jason's blush spread, "Shut up." he mumbled, the comment lacking its usual heat. If anything, it just made Bruce's smile widen into a pleased grin.
Dick looked like he wanted to jump forward and engulf Jason in a hug, but thankfully restrained himself. Tim doubted Jason would allow physical contact, especially from Dick. "What about what's in the box, Little Wing?" Dick said carefully.
"Nuthin' important." He tried to sound casual, but failed. "Just food, yeah."
Stephanie suddenly jumped from the floor, "Food?" Her eyes went wild and wide. "Food."
Jason glared at her, "Keep your paws to yourself, Elle Woods."
Duke giggled again, "Open it, Tim! Before Steph shoves the box down her throat."
Tim placed the skateboard gently on a cabinet and stepped closer to Alfred, who held the box out for Tim to open. When he did so, the others all crowded round to steal a peak, with Damian having to stand on his tiptoes.
Inside were an array of cupcakes and cookies, some of different sizes but all sharing the same icing design: a stylized Red R in a black circle with yellow lining, the colours of Red Robin.
They all looked up at once, staring at Jason, who tensed under their gazes. "Jeez, take a fuckin' picture."
"You made these?" Bruce asked softly, his voice shaking slightly, unnoticeable by all those who didn't know Bruce well enough to tell. But Tim knew him. Jason did, too.
"Yeah." he answered casually, "I used to cook and bake all the time when I was here. I didn't stop just because I died, y'know."
"I remember..." Bruce said quietly, his voice laced with memory and sadness. Tim saw him smile out the corner of his eyes. "I'm happy you still do that, Jaylad. You were really talented."
Jason's face was entirely red now, "Jesus fuck, Old Man. It's Tim's day. Less focusing on me, please." He glanced at Tim, then shoved his hands into his pockets and averted his gaze, "So? You like them or not?"
Tim smiled, "They look great, Jay."
Steph licked her lips, "I bet they taste even better." Dick and Duke nodded enthusiastically.
Damian studied them closely, then looked up to Jason. "They appear adequate, Todd."
"Thanks, Baby Bat."
Tim closed the lid and focused on Jason, "You're staying for dinner tonight, right."
He watched as Jason's face twisted in a dozen different emotions at once. Primarily confusion, as if he was surprised and couldn't understand why Tim would ever want him there.
Because you're my brother, he wanted to say. But Tim knew how skittish Jason could get, especially when feelings complicated matters even further.
"Sure." Jason said after what had to have been a whole minute of silent deliberation with himself. "Fuck it, why not." He then turned to Dick, who was actually vibrating. "But no cuddles."
Dick pouted, and Bruce softly patted his shoulder in comfort.
Tim looked down at the box in his arms and then to the skateboard on the desk. Finally, he settled his gaze on his brother. Which is exactly what Jason was. Even when he was angry, and hurt, and brutal. Even through all of that, Jason was still Robin. Still their family. And now he was home.
Not completely.
Not unequivocally.
But he had finally taken his first step in and Tim was here to happily welcome him back. As he always would be.