Work Text:
The knocks on the door were rapid, little tiny pounding knocks that surely had to be hurting whoever hands were slamming into their door so early in the morning.
When Alfred answered he was met with a tiny guest.
"You- Alfred! Is Jason home?"
"And who might you be?" Alfred asked, eyes narrowed onto the young boy.
"Um. I'm Tim. Timothy Drake, I live next door?" The words came out like a question, Alfred quirked an eyebrow, gave him a hard look and then nodded, letting him in. Tim weaved past him and instantly into the kitchen where Bruce was sat pouring himself a cup of coffee. Jason was at the table too, digging into some toast with a scowl on his face. When he looked up and saw Tim though, his face broke into a smile.
"Timothy?" Bruce asked, "I thought you were in Egypt with your parents?" He continued but held a hand open for Tim to sit down. Tim frowned but did so. This Bruce was a little different to his own, but then he supposed it was because he hadn't lost Jason yet.
"Um. This might sound crazy- Mr Wayne Sir, but um. Jason's going to run away to Ethiopia and you gotta stop him-" Tim blurted as he hesitantly reached for the orange juice. Alfred had re-joined the room and was watching from the doorway, assessing if Tim was a threat or not.
Jason spewed out his coffee and then burst into laughter while Bruce looked horrified.
"Jaylad?" Bruce whispered, "you were going to run away?" Bruce asked, horrified, cup placed back down to turn to Jason who was only laughing hysterically before he climbed out of his seat and over to Tim, scooping him up to cuddle him into his arms. Tim made a squawk of protest but then relaxed into the arms when Jason held him tight and close.
"Baby Bird you don't do things in halves do you?" Jason laughed, ignoring Bruce's noise of confusion or Alfred's steady gaze. Tim froze and then wriggled to look at Jason's knowing face.
"Jay!?"
"Sup, Little Red. Looks like we're in this mess together." Jason smirked letting Tim down. Tim blinked up confused and then surged back forward to cuddle into Jason's chest. Jason only laughed again.
"Don't worry B, I don't have a death wish, I'm not going to Ethiopia." Jason spoke over his shoulder, watching Bruce sag in relief.
"Is.. Is it just us?" Tim asked and Jason shrugged.
"So far. I didn't wanna say anything or B would think I'm crazy." Jason murmured and hugged Tim back, hands carding through the shorter kids hair.
"What is going on?" Bruce asked, voice stern, no longer enjoying being out of the loop.
"Time Travel, Old Man. This is Robin Number Three. Guess we both got shot back or something. D'ya think Dickieboy got zapped too, or Demon Brat?" Jason asked.
"Uh. I don't know… I just- I saw the date and ran over… I was scared I'd be too late." Tim admitted because yeah, it was pretty shitty Jason had woken up on the very same day he headed to Ethiopia. At least he knew not to this time, knew to ignore the pull he felt to track down his own blood.
"Well, guess we could just call Dickwing and see. Dunno what we do about Demon Brat. He'd be what? Five? Six years old at the moment?" Jason mumbled.
"Robin... Number Three?" Bruce finally asked, after having a moment to assess the sentence. Jason nodded slowly.
"Yeah I uh… Died? In Ethiopia. I went to go find my real mom and she sold me out to the Joker and then boom, no more Jason for six months." Jason shrugged nonchalantly. He picked up a piece of toast while Alfred moved closer to the table, sitting down, looking to have aged several years at the sentence.
"I woke up in my coffin, dug out, went brain dead for a year on the streets and then your crazy cult Ex picked me up. Spent a couple years in the League, got dipped in the Pit, went a little mad and tried to kill your new birdie, Timtam. Sorry about that again, Timmy."
"S'fine. I lived didn't I? Pit's fault, not yours." Tim mumbled, still clinging to Jason's side. He might not be this affectionate in the future but he was in his old body, his terrible touch-starved body that was enjoying the warmth and comfort for the hug. Jason seemed fine with him clinging to him as he ate some more toast.
"And then I spent a year or so being really angry, tried to kill most of you until we thought you'd died." Jason looked at Bruce who looked lost beyond belief at all the revelations. "You weren't dead but only Timtam believed that. He went and brought you back to us but in that time Dickwing was Bats and I guess we sorted out our differences, bonded over mourning you or some shit. We're chill now, mostly. I mostly still stick to Crime Alley as my turf but we're not trying to murder each other anymore… Or on my side anyway, since y'know, you don't kill." Jason shrugged.
"Jason!" The shout from down the hall had Jason scoff and Tim brighten before Dick Grayson barrelled into the room, took one look at Tim clinging to Jason and then sagged in relief.
"Thank fuck." He blurted out.
"Language!" Alfred sternly interrupted. Dick shot the older man a sheepish look.
"Hey Dickwing, don't worry yourself, Timtam already beat you to the punchline on saving my life." Jason snickered and Tim beamed, barrelling over to cuddle Dick instead.
"He's okay Dick!" He beamed, a toothy gapped grin shot up at Dick who picked up the tiny body his little brother was now stuck in.
"I can see, Timmy. Good work." Dick smiled at Tim's sudden crave for physical affection. It was adorable.
"Dick." Bruce rumbled out, still thoroughly lost but relieved to see his eldest son. They hadn't been on speaking terms in this time period and Bruce had missed seeing him in the Manor.
"Hey B. You okay? You look a little pale." Dick spoke, head tilted.
"B didn't get shot back, s'just use three and maybe Demon Brat, we're not sure? Was he with you?" Jason asked because while he and Tim had been closest to the blast from the third rate magician they'd been fighting in the future, he hadn't known exactly where Dick and Damian had been.
"Shit." Dick exhaled. "He was in front of me… If I'm here… He has to be. He was closer." Dick gasped out, holding Tim closer on his hip. Tim happily snuggled into the crook of Dick's neck.
"Guess we have a tiny Demon Brat to go save then." Jason grinned, earning twin nods from his brothers and way too much clear, stark overwhelmed confusion on Bruce's face.
When was he going to wake up from this bizarre dream?