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Having a pack as large as the Wayne Pack was both a blessing and a curse, honestly. A blessing, because there was (usually) always someone around when you needed them. A curse, because there was always someone around. Even if you didn’t need them. Or want them.
On the edge of being near his heat, Jason figures he should steer clear of the Manor for a few days. Pre-heat tends to get the Wayne Alphas riled, in that need-to-protect way, and he was not in the mood to deal with it yet. And not close enough to his actual heat to tolerate—or want it.
Besides, it wasn’t like he was helpless during his heats. He’d busted up a drug ring or two while in heat, hyped up on protecting his territory, and far too stressed to settle into a nest. (Especially an empty, scentless one.)
That was no longer the case, of course. He spent his heats in either his best safehouse, which was really more like a regular apartment now save for the sheer amount of weapons contained within, or the Manor. The Manor doesn’t happen often, not unless his heat happens to line up with Tim’s, or Dick’s rut brain drags him back.
Dick in rut is a fucking force of nature, and yes, he’s including the force of nature that is The Batman in that too. There is no denying Dick, and if Dick says everyone gets locked in the Manor for two days everyone gets locked in the Manor for two days.
It would be annoying if it wasn’t somewhat endearing.
(And no, it’s not the fact that fighting the as yet unmasked Red Hood tripped Dick into rut when his hindbrain recognized Jason. And Nightwing in rut should’ve been impossible, it really, truly should’ve been his death, but no Dickie’s an idiot, and dragged the goddamn Red Hood home. Dick would not be denied, and the scent of him—protection and rage and guilt and fear—nearly sent Jason into a sympathy heat, if not for the utter fear of being back in the Manor, and all the mixed emotions he had with it.)
It had worked out in the end—after a lot of time, frankly too much talking, and much less murder, but it had worked.
But still, despite the leaps and bounds they’d made, he still really couldn’t stand getting coddled or hovered over before his heat really started, so he’d just find something else to do for a day or two.
He hadn’t seen Roy in a bit, Lian either. At the thought, there’s an itch that curls over the back of his neck, a bit of discontent that swirls in his gut. He needs to refresh their scents, both on him and on them. Roy would probably let him take something home, too, for his heat.
(Maybe, if Jason was brave enough, this would be the heat he asked Roy to share with him. They could hole up in Jason’s apartment, and with his siblings patrolling, they’d be safe. He could scent Lian in his own nest.
He could ask Roy to bite him.)
Maybe he shouldn’t go to Roy’s, if he was already going down that train of thought. Roy had never done anything to show his interest, had never attempted to start courting but—sometimes, sometimes he wondered.
Roy always seemed to have a new, freshly scent shirt for him when he dropped by, and Lian a new present. The last time it’d been a shirt that had been softer than anything he’d thought Roy liked to wear, the fabric slipping through his fingers like water. Lian, too, had had a gift. A teddy bear she’d tried so hard to scent. She hasn’t presented yet, so her scent is still mild and vaguely puppyish. It’s still distinct—Jason would know it deaf and blind—but it wasn’t particularly strong.
He still had both, though even Roy’s sharp alpha scent had faded out.
Jason pauses in the middle of shoving another shirt into his duffle. He looks back at his bedroom—the one he uses the most, the safehouse that’s the safest, the one that’s almost home.
Why is it the safest? Why is it his favorite? Yes, it’s in the best neighborhood by far of all his safehouses. It’s also the best apartment of the lot—everything works, it’s in decent repair, his landlord isn’t a piece of shit, the walls and floors are thick and insulated well. Objectively, it is the best apartment.
But that’s not why it’s safe.
He—he’d shown Roy some of his safehouses. He’d given Roy a place to go if he needed it, somewhere to aim if he needed to come to Gotham. This one had been on the list.
This is the one Roy looked around—the space, the light, the three bedrooms—and approved of. He’d laughed, Jason remembers, and said there was room for Lian and all their vigilante shit.
This is the safehouse that Roy stalked around, like an alpha inspecting a den, like an alpha approving of an omega’s space.
(And why had Jason picked it to begin with? It’s further out than most of his safehouses, it’s bigger than he needs, more expensive than he should really be spending—nevermind that he has money to spare—and more luxurious than he usually allows himself.)
There’s a slow dawning horror in him, as he looks around. There’s the teddy bear Lian got him, and the scarf, and the funky little doll thing that’s supposed to be Red Hood but is more a horrid lump of red painted clay that she made. The shirt Roy gave him last time is still centered in Jason’s nest. The heating pad Roy got him after Jason’s last one took a shit is in the built-in drawer in his custom nest bed.
There’s an utterly huge nest blanket that Jason can just see, it’s deep red, thick and soft, with just a hint of pleasing texture. It’s specially designed to hold scent well.
Roy got it for him. Lian painstakingly stitched Jason into the corner.
Jason’s heart kicks up a bit, his scent rising to match.
Disbelief wars with please, please, please—please let him be reading this right.
There’s more—little things. New weapons, the warmest mittens Jason’s ever owned, books Lian thought he’d like, movies Roy recommended, recipes traded, food sent home with him on the onset of his heat.
“I am a fucking idiot,” Jason breathes. Roy had been courting—but he’d been courting like a modern fucking Alpha with goddamn manners. And—and Jason was used to what he’d seen on the streets. To the things he’d heard. Alpha’s scenting without invitation, boxing omegas in, herding them like cattle to where they wanted to go, not where the omega felt safe. Coming and going without invitation, without asking. Acting like they owned their omega.
Roy comes when Jason asks, without fail. He always has something to give Jason and takes anything Jason offers with enthusiasm and esteem. He checks in on Jason, and talks to him often but never hounds. He’s asked Jason to watch Lian before, but he’s never dumped her on him like it was expected.
Something shudders through him, and everything in him needs to go to Roy. Right now.
But—he has to be sure.
He’s dialing before it really registers, stuffing random supplies into his duffle and heading for the door. His eyes catch on the kitchen window, where Roy once stood, his hand braced on the frame, wrist respectfully not touching so as not to leave lingering scent.
He remembers standing in the living room, wishing Roy would.
“Jason?” Dick’s voice comes through, on the edge of concern.
“Dick,” Jason manages, breathless and trying to move fast. It takes two tries too many to lock his door, but he has to go. “Dick, I’m an idiot, but I need you to be honest with me.”
“Jason, are you okay?” Dick asks, and no, no Dick needs to stay where ever the fuck he is and not go all concerned alpha on him.
“Yes! Jesus Dickie, I’m fine, I’m just an idiot,” Jason snaps, finally locking his door and heading to the stairs. “Dick, be fucking honest with me, how long has Roy been fucking courting me?”
There’s a long, long pause on the other end of the line. A sound like a desperately muffled laugh. “Jason,” Dick manages, just barely able to speak. He sounds like he’s trying not to choke. “Jason, oh my god.”
Jason starts down the stairs, three at a time. “A long time, then, fuck me.”
“I believe that’s part of what he’d like,” Dick says, his voice muffled and strained. There’s some more giggles as Jason lets out a growl. “Jason the man’s been doing everything but lighting fireworks, and I think that was next.”
Jason groans, slamming down another level. “I’m a fucking idiot.”
“You’re only an idiot if you’re not going there right now to talk to him,” Dick says, sounding more composed.
“I’m literally heading for my bike right now,” Jason says, skidding down to the last set of stairs. “Also, if things go well, I’m sharing my heat with him and Lian, so try not to burst in like you do.”
Dick fakes a gasp. “I would never!”
“You have,” Comes another voice on the line, and Jason grins. “Good luck Jason, let us know if you need anything.”
“Sure thing, Wally,” Jason says, and feeling like a little shit, he continues. “By the way, how long did it take for Dick to realize you were flirting again?”
Dick sputters, and Wally outright cackles. Jason’s still grinning when he hangs up, Wally’s laugh and Dick’s weak explanation cutting out.
Jason exits, shoving his phone into his pants, high on anticipation. It’s not too far to Roy’s, but right now every mile feels like a mountain. Everything in him wants to be there now, and while there are ways, he’d rather not get the lecture about misusing resources right now.
Jason throws a leg over his bike and kicks it on, anticipation thrumming. His bonds hum with him, and Dick tosses some happy/gogogo! down the bond. Cass sends thrilled/happy/yesyesyes/new baby with little prompting and no confusion, but it takes Jason a second to translate new baby as Lian. The others are a bit slower on the realization, but he gets several good lucks and something that almost feels like about time from Damian, the shit.
Jason roars off, his mate in his sights.
Of course he didn’t check how much gas was in his damn tank before he left, and of course he’s coasting into a gas station just barely out of the city limits and still fairly far to Roy’s apartment. It works out a bit, because it had occurred to him as he’d Gotham’s city limits that he probably should’ve called. Or texted. Or done something to let Roy know he was coming. Roy still has a job, his vigilante duties, and taking care of Lian to worry about of course, so there’s no guarantee he’s home.
Still, it’s annoying to be sidetracked. Everything feels like a livewire right now, and he knows he’s scenting stronger than usual right now. If he’s not careful, he could shoot himself into heat early, and he really needs to be level headed for this conversation or Roy might not believe him. Or at the very least, won’t mate with him before Jason’s said yes with a clear head.
And Jason’s of the opinion that he’s made Roy and Lian wait long enough.
(Lian. Lian, could be his. His pup. His to scent. His to love. She’s been giving gifts too—does…does she want him to be her other parent? Does she understand what those gifts mean? She’s young, but she’s not stupid.)
He’s barely containing himself as he fills his tank, his emotions and scent edging on wild. Thankfully, the gas station is fairly empty. There’s a desperately bored clerk behind the counter, but Jason’s not going inside to break the monotony for the guy. The place spells of gas, exhaust, and hundreds of layered scents, both old and new. Gas stations and hotel lobbies, Jason thinks, both terrible places to be when your senses are on overdrive.
He’s just about finished when a slightly different scent catches his attention. It’s young, light in the way of an unpresented pup, but—there’s something wrong. Pain, Jason realizes, acrid and thick. Fear, layers of it. Jason shudders at the scent of it, instincts flaring. He focuses on it, capping his tank to block the worst of the fresh gas scent. He clicks a button, activating the bike’s safety features, and steps away from the pump.
The clerk isn’t paying attention, doesn’t even look vaguely alarmed. Kid’s not inside, then, Jason figures. There’s not a level of bored that could ignore a pup in distress.
His phone rings, even as he lifts his head to try and pinpoint the scent. He nearly doesn’t answer, but knowing his life, the world’s fucking ending or some shit.
(It had fucking better not be. Not until there’s a bite on his neck and new bonds in his head.)
“Jason?” Jason sucks in a breath.
“Roy?” He breathes—his instincts slam against each other. Mate! One side insists. Pup! The other yells.
“Wally texted,” Roy says, pauses, swallows. Wally you shit, Jason thinks, even as he heads to the side of the gas station’s tiny convenience store. “Said you were heading my way.”
“I am,” Jason says, a thousand words locked in his throat. “Figured out something, thought we…we could talk.” The side of the store is obviously not well cared for. There’s grass and weeds growing through the cracked concrete, old and new pallets stacked by the side employee door. There’s other junk stacked around, and some trash bags that haven’t yet made it to the dumpster that he can just barely see around the back.
Roy swallows audibly, and when he speaks again, his voice is deeper. “I hope it’s the same conversation I’m thinking of.”
“I think I’m finally on the same page,” Jason says, but his gaze catches on eyes. Small eyes, set in a small, pale face. The scent of fear is thicker here, the underlayment of pain like acid in Jason’s mouth. “I’m a little sidetracked though,” Jason manages, feeling his instincts soar. PUP. His mind screams, and he can feel the pulsing rise of his heat.
“Jason, Jason are you okay?” Roy’s voice is far, but it’s a connection, even as Jason starts to feel his instincts scream.
“Pup,” Jason manages. “Hurt—half scruffed.”
It’s obvious, now that he can see the pup. He’s bruised up, bleeding in spots, but the thing that’s sending Jason into a protective heat is the livid mark on the back of the pup’s neck, the bruise over his pack gland. Someone tried to scruff the pup, make him go limp and pliable and then tried to force a pack bond.
“Fuck,” Roy snaps out, and there’s some hasty noises over the line, but Jason’s fading fast. This close to his heat, as hyped up as he was to finally mate with the man he loves, to (hopefully) claim Lian as his pup—only to find a hurt, whimpering pup?—he’s seconds from mindless instinct. “Jason, phone in pocket, I’m coming okay? I’m coming to you. But keep your phone on you.”
There’s the slightest edge of Alpha command in Roy’s voice, and it’s the only thing that digs into Jason’s heat-addled brain.
He shoves the phone into his pocket, and he has no idea if he ended the call or not, all his attention is on the whimpering pup that’s half buried in broken pallets and trash. He croons to the pup, everything in him demanding he grab the pup and run. He doesn’t know where the bastard is who did this, but he’s not letting them anywhere near this pup.
The pup whimpers, trying to move, trying to get up, but he can’t. He’s obviously suffering from being half scruffed, and whatever rebound he got from the failed pack bond. Jason croons again, words refusing to form. Something sparks in the pup’s eyes, bright and green. Jason feels his own eyes flash back, and he—he can’t think, right now. Can’t process. But the sight of it triggers even more warning sirens in Jason’s mind.
They need to go. This pup isn’t safe, and Jason will make him safe. There’s a nest that’s waiting for him, and—he thinks, briefly, of Roy. Having his alpha would be better, but—Roy is too far. His apartment is too far.
I’m coming. Alpha said.
Roy’s coming.
Jason steps closer to the pup, who shrinks back, fear scent nearly choking. Jason eases down, making himself smaller, crooning again.
Safe, Jason tries to project through his heatscent, through the utter fury at someone hurting a pup. Safe, pup, help you.
The pup blinks, little nose twitching. The whine gets louder—but there’s a pleading edge.
“‘Mega?” The pup manages, his voice rough and small. Jason calls out, a chirp—it’s an unusual feeling, chirping. He’s never done it before. It’s not a casual sound to be used whenever, it’s a call, parent to child.
And—there’s a logical part of Jason, buried deep, that knows this pup isn’t his, that he can’t claim the kid, shouldn’t get attached but.
The pup needs him. He’s not leaving without this pup, and unless the pup’s pack passes every check Jason and his pack can throw at them, unless they are so squeaky clean they can be seen from space, Jason’s never giving this pup back.
Jason chirps again, and the pup twitches, like he’s not sure to move back or get closer. Jason eases a little closer, cataloging injuries and trying to check the need to just scoop the pup up and run. They need to go. The pup needs a nest, needs to be safe.
But the pup needs to know that Jason won’t hurt him, first.
The pup watches Jason with wide, shining eyes, fine tremors shaking his small limbs. The pup’s a little older than Lian, he thinks, more in the nine to ten range. But he’s built on fine lines, and far too pale.
Safe, Jason tries again, ignoring the buzz of his packmate’s confusion in the back of his head. The pup lets out a little sound, the tiniest of chirps, with a little trill following. Jason rumbles out a purr, thrilled by the response. He answers with another chirp of his own, and the pup goes limp, trilling lowly.
Jason’s moving before the thought’s even processed, scooping up the pup and pressing him close. The pup’s finally lost the fight against the half assed scruffing, and seems to be having trouble moving. The scent of pain is stronger now—Jason takes a sniff of the pup’s neck and nearly loses it.
There’s a certain scent pups have, when they’ve been abandoned. It’s worse than the scent of rot, of death, of old blood under dirty nails. It’s worse than graveyard dirt and cloying mud. It’s a scent no adult of any designation can withstand. It’s nearly beyond description, the scent of abandonment—it’s nearly hollow, for all that it fills the nose, sticks down the throat.
An abandoned pup is a dying pup, and this pup reeks of it.
They need to go, they need to go now.
Jason’s both on high alert and gone. He registers that the store’s cameras are broken, that the clerk now has a magazine and still has no idea what’s going on, that the pumps are empty save for his bike. He registers all this, but it’s insignificant, for all that it’s important.
He’s focused on the tiny heartbeat that’s stuttering against his chest, the bare wisps of breath that flicker over his neck. He focuses on deactivating the bike’s traps, on dragging out his big leather jacket—oversized for his body armor and weapons. He zips them both into it, and it’s tight but the pup merely melts further into Jason, or Jason curls further around the pup, it’s hard to tell.
He kicks the bike on, with one arm firmly pressed across the pup’s back. He roars out of the gas station, and the only thing he can see is the fastest path to his nest. Pups don’t last long when they’ve been well and truly abandoned (Tim and his stubborn insistence that he wasn’t, technically, abandoned doesn’t count) and Jason’s running against the clock.
There’s some voices from somewhere, and a bit of what the fuck the back of his head, but he’s not really worried about it. He’ll deal with it later.
He keeps a finger on the pup’s pulse the entire drive.
He doesn’t remember the drive. He doesn’t remember getting back to his apartment building. He doesn’t remember getting into his apartment.
But he’s here, standing in the middle of the living room with a filthy pup, in heat up to his eyeballs, and torn desperately between his nest and getting the pup clean.
It’s hard to think, his thoughts are stretched and liquid, instinct and logic crashing against each other and effectively keeping him locked in the middle of the room. There’s a thin edge of frustration beating in him—at himself, mostly. He hates this part of heat sometimes—when logic flies away and he’s caught between conflicting thoughts and instincts.
That’s when it’s nice to have someone around—anyone, really.
But he’s on his own, right now. Roy’s coming, he remembers, knows. But it might be a bit.
Compromise. He thinks, tries to find a way to work around his block. He’s rubbing soothing circles over the pup’s back, and while he still smells of abandonment and pain and fear, he’s managed to cling back to Jason with all his little pup might. He’s a fighter, this pup, and Jason fiercely approves.
Wipes. He thinks. There’s shower wipe things in his nest’s supply drawers. He’s used them when he was too deep in heat to manage a shower, and they’re fairly good. He can get the pup mostly clean and into the nest.
He rumbles reassurances to the pup and starts towards the nest, shedding his large leather jacket as he does. Leather doesn’t belong in a nest, in Jason’s not so humble opinion. In fact, nothing Jason’s currently wearing is good for the nest, but he’ll worry about that once the pup is clean.
He lays the pup out, gently detaching the pup’s grip. He whines, and it pulls at Jason’s heart and instincts, but he croons back. With one hand still on the pup, Jason reaches and manages to open the closest supply drawer, and luckily there’s a package of wipes in there. He pulls them out and gently pulls the pup’s ruined shirt off. It’s torn up a bit and Jason has to bite back a growl at the sight of the pup’s wounds.
He leans down, unable to help himself, and nuzzles the pup, the concentrated scent at his neck starting to fight the scent of fear and pain.
The stark, echoing scent of abandonment is more stubborn, clinging despite Jason putting out enough pheromones to drench a city block.
The scent, and the nuzzling seems to calm the pup, his little body relaxing into the nest a bit. Jason rubs a wipe over the pup’s face, his neck, taking extra care with the bruises there. Gently, before he moves on, Jason presses his hand on the back of the pup’s neck, checking for damage. The area’s tender, and Jason wouldn’t want to scruff the kid for a bit, but it doesn’t seem like anything permanent.
There’s a sound, a knock followed quickly by a chuff.
Jason’s got his back to the pup, teeth bared but the chuff sounds again.
Roy.
I’m coming. Roy had said. Alpha had promised.
The pup lets out a small whine, and—Jason can’t leave. Can’t physically pry himself from the pup’s side. But Roy’s here, Roy will keep them safe.
Jason calls back, the sound a welcome.
The key turns in the lock, and Roy slowly enters, locking immediately behind him. Jason can see him from the edge of the nest, standing near the kitchen counter.
“Hey Jace,” Roy says, calmly. Jason breathes in deeply, taking in Roy’s scent. The familiarity of it—grease and metal, a hint of bow string wax, and the lingering scent of pup—eases something in Jason’s mind.
He’s not alone. He doesn’t have to be on high alert anymore.
“How’s the pup, Jace?” Roy asks, but he doesn’t come any closer. Jason wants him closer. He can’t find the words, but he holds up one of the wipes he’d used, showcasing the dirt and sweat that it had cleaned off. “Getting them clean, good.” A base part of Jason preens at his chosen Alpha’s approval. “I’m going to check windows, and call your pack to let them know what’s happening, okay? Can you keep cleaning the pup?”
What a stupid question, of course he can. It’ll be easier now that Roy’s here to keep watch.
Jason returns to the pup, who's watching with sharp eyes. Rumbling, nearly purring, Jason pulls out a new wipe and keeps cleaning the pup, stopping to nuzzle the pup when he can. It’s hard to try and clean the pup’s hair, but the shower wipes have enough grip to get the worst of it. He’s totally focused on the pup, his only glitches when he pulls the kid’s pants off to reveal scrapes on both knees.
It’s not painting a good picture in Jason’s mind.
Abandonment, a bad scruffing and rejected bond. The kid’s been through the ringer.
He doesn’t realize that Roy’s close until the kid whines in fear. Jason rears, looking for the threat, but only sees Roy, standing respectfully back from the doorway. There’s a tiny pile of clothes in his hands.
“I met up with Steph on my way in,” Roy says. “She gave me some clothes for the pup, though we were both guessing at sizing.”
Jason can’t help the trill that rolls out of his chest, all approval. Alpha has provided. Roy’s eyes flash, and alpha pheromones curl through the air.
Jason holds out a hand, and there’s usually words for this, but he’s well beyond speaking right now. He holds out his hand and lets out a short, demanding keen. Roy gets the message instantly, stepping through the threshold and approaching the nest.
The pup whimpers, sad little hitches of fear.
Jason rumbles back assurance, reaching down to trace his wrist over the pup’s hair, leaving protective omega scent behind. Roy only gets close enough to hand the clothes over, but the pup’s watching with wide eyes, obviously wary.
Jason reaches to grab the clothes, but the pup’s fear is thicker now, and that just won’t do. Roy’s a brilliant alpha, and he will show the pup that there’s no need to fear him. Jason presses right into Roy, and runs his wrists and hands over Roy’s neck and chest, scenting him. Roy swallows hard but stays still, a pleased rumble steady in his chest. Jason steps back and looks at the pup, before deliberately grabbing Roy’s hand and slapping it on the back of his own neck. Roy’s hand feels right there, and the heat of him, the smell of him, just drives Jason deeper into heat. Jason purrs, and Roy pointedly doesn’t squeeze, doesn’t even attempt to scruff Jason.
Scruffing works differently on adults—it’s not as easy to do, and not as effective, especially when attempted by someone outside of the pack.
But Jason’s an omega deep in heat with a potential mate—Roy could drop him in an instant.
The pup’s watching, blinking slowly at the display. The poor thing’s probably as addled as Jason is—and some part of him knows he’s well in the thick of it. But the whimpers trail off a bit, and the pup seems to relax again. Pleased, Jason heads over with the clothes, carefully dressing him in a new shirt and pants. They’re slightly overlarge, but they’re soft and only vaguely smell of Roy and Steph.
The pup’s settled, and Jason’s own clothes itch at him. They’re too heavy, too rough for the nest. And he’s still wearing boots.
Those are gone quickly—he needs to get into the nest, needs to rub every ounce of abandonment off the pup, needs to scent the pup so well it’ll be like that rancid scent was never there. Roy lets out something like a chuckle, before opening a couple drawers. Jason wrestles his pants off, and tosses his shirt off.
A half second later, a shirt lands on the side of the nest, and Roy walks over with the softest pair of pants Jason owns. He wiggles into them quickly, and then scoops the pup back up.
The pup seems to be more able to move now, the scruff wearing off and leaving stiffened muscles in its wake. Which is wrong. A proper scruffing turns pups into heavy liquid, sends them deep into safety and relaxation. It doesn’t hurt.
When Jason finds the fucker who did this, he’ll take great joy in taking the bastard down.
But for now, there’s a pup in his arms and an alpha guarding the nest.
The pup still needs help, but he’s not as weak as he was earlier. Just scenting can start to form bonds with pups, and the pup hasn’t been free from Jason’s scent since Jason first grabbed him. Still, he’s not out of the woods.
With great attention, Jason gently works some of the tension and ache out of the kid’s muscles with some light messaging. It’s not long before Jason’s purring up a storm, loud and clear. The pup curls closer to the sound, attempting his own little puppy purr in response. Jason can’t help it, he runs his wrists over the pup’s neck, exchanging scents and coating the pup in protect, safe, omega-here. The pup practically goes limp, helping to ease his poor little muscles. There’s still some scraps and cuts, but the cleaning wipes cleaned those out too, and Jason can’t smell any infection.
He leans in, breathing the pup in. The scent of abandonment is still sour in Jason’s nose, but he’s pretty sure it’s starting to fade. He pokes around his bonds, and his purrs crank up a gear when he feels a new one. It’s barely there, just forming, a wisp of a thing.
Roy rumbles back, assurance, approval, safety.
Jason feels himself let go of his surroundings, it’s all just pup and alpha, protected and protecting.
He noses around the pup’s pack scent gland, running a hand down the pup’s back to soothe when the pup pulls back. Wary, scared, hurts, pain. Jason cuddles the pup closer, scenting him again with a ruffle of the pup’s hair.
Safe, protect, no hurt. Jason nudges the pup’s gland. Gentle, safe, pup-mine.
The pup pulls back a bit, looking Jason in the face—the kid’s got spunk, his eyes are nearly glassy but he’s clearly still a little present.
“Can you tell us your name, puppy?” Roy asks, outside the nest, his voice low. Jason seconds the question with a croon. Roy snickers. “I’m afraid Jason’s a little too out of it to ask. I’m Roy, by the way. If you need anything, I’m here.”
The pup blinks, and his mouth opens and closes a few times, like he’s trying to find words but finding it hard.
“It’s okay if you can’t talk,” Roy continues, voice soothing. “We’ll make sure to get your name when it’s easier. Would you like something to drink?”
The pup looks at Jason, but Jason just takes the opportunity to scent the pup again. The kid squirms a bit, before shaking his head yes. Roy doesn’t hesitate, heading out to grab water.
Time becomes liquid after that, and details cease to matter. Roy’s there, a constant. His pup’s there, and the bond gets stronger every time Jason checks it.
At some point, Jason actually registers a new occupant to the nest. Lian is curled with his puppy, the two of them sprawled out and half on top of each other. He’s not sure how long she’s been there, but it doesn’t matter. She’s always been welcome in his nest. He looks up from the pups, and finds Roy leaning on the wall by the window, watching them with dark eyes.
“You back with me, Jace?” Roy asks. Jason opens his mouth, but the only thing that falls out is a pleased trill. Roy smiles softly. “That would be a no. Need anything?” Jason shakes his head, resettling the nest around the pups, scenting them both. Lian nuzzles into him, still mostly asleep. His other pup looks up with half lidded eyes—and again there’s a spark of something, an energy that Jason knows.
He nuzzles the pup harder, his instincts demanding something he can’t name. He’s yet to bite the pup, yet to cement the bond that whispers between them, and he wants but he won’t take. This is slightly different, but no less important. He curls them both close, but settles the boy pup over his chest, and Lian by his side.
He falls asleep with something humming between them, something bright and vital.
The next time he wakes, it’s like stepping through a haze and finally seeing again. He’s still in heat, but it’s one of the blessed moments of clarity.
“Ugh,” Jason manages, staring up at the ceiling. His head is full of cotton and his instincts are still running high. He’s not done, which is sort of annoying, he’s fairly sure he’s been in heat longer than normal.
“Jace?” Roy asks, and Jason sits up. Lian is curled nearby, showing the other pup how they play Uno. Poor dude, Lian’s ruthless at Uno.
“Roy,” Jason manages, and wow he could use some water.
“Here,” Roy hands a bottle over the side of the nest, and Jason hums his approval. Roy’s been attentive the entire time, and it just cements Jason’s resolve. Jason drinks deep, draining it in one go.
“Thanks,” He hands the empty bottle back.
“‘Course,” Roy says, tucking it away. “Not quite through yet, huh?”
Jason grimaces. “No, this one hit like a truck and keeps backing over me.” Roy snorts, his face lit up with a smile. “Glad you think it’s funny, I don’t even know what day it is.”
Roy rolls his eyes, but Jason can sense his sympathy from here. “It’s Saturday.”
Jason groans. “Seriously? It’s been five days? How the hell are you still functioning—have you slept?”
Roy raises his hands in surrender. “I swear I have, Lian’s been a taskmaster about it.”
“Good,” Jason declares, pride sparking and coating the nest.
“Teaming up against me?” Roy pouts, which shouldn’t look as good as it does on him.
“If it works, yes,” Jason says, shameless. But Roy doesn’t look bad after five days at the beck and call of a nesting in heat omega. A little tired maybe, but definitely not run ragged or on the edge of his own sympathy rut. Which—is slightly surprising, Jason was definitely putting out enough pheromones to trigger one.
“Tim dropped by,” Roy says, amused. “Gave me some light suppressants to prevent a rut—something about how one of us had to be clear headed.”
“He’s such a shit,” Jason says, but he can feel the heat rising again, the creeping fog sliding back in, so it’s probably a good thing Roy’s not in rut on top of it. This is already the longest and strongest heat Jason’s ever had.
“Yeah, but he’s your shit,” Roy jokes and Jason rolls his eyes, even though it’s true. “Also they’ve been calling the pup you found either New Pup or Baby Nephew, just so you know.”
Instinct rolls through Jason, and his voice is low when he says, “My pup.”
Roy looks down at the pups, face soft, but his eyes are fierce. “Yeah, I can see that.”
Jason lets out a breath, tamping down on instinct for a moment. There’s words he needs to say. “I’d claim her too.” Hmm, blunter than he’d meant to be but his filter’s a little fucked right now.
Roy sucks in a breath, and a tangle of emotions crackles through Roy’s scent—Our pups, yesyesyes, pleased, want, pack-mine.
“Fuck, Roy,” Jason hisses out, his heat flaring up in response. And honestly fuck past Jason for not realizing what was right in front of his face.
“I’d climb in there and claim you right now if I could,” Roy says, a growl over his words. “But I’ll wait, the pups come first.”
A purr stutters to life in Jason’s chest—that, that right there is why Jason loves him so much.
“Such a good alpha,” Jason says—and fuck his filter is shot right now, huh?
Roy rumbles, pleased. “Such a good omega.” Jason slow blinks at Roy, the rise of the heat fog refusing to be denied any longer.
“Pup name?” Jason asks, still purring. He can’t remember if the pup ever said it.
Roy shakes his head, and they both look down at the pup, only to meet the pup’s open eyes. Lian’s awake too, looking like she’s been given the entire cookie jar and unlimited access to refills.
“Danny,” The pup whispers, and Lian beams.
“It’s nice to meet you, Danny,” Roy says, scenting the air. Danny’s scent is firmly locked in Jason’s head, right next to Lian’s. He’s such Roy already noted it as well, but having a name to a scent makes it that much easier to remember.
“Danny,” Jason purrs, attention back on the pups.
“I told him he could say it,” Lian says proudly as Jason rescents them both, pride, mine, love, thick in the air. “I have good daddies.” Jason nuzzles her at the declaration, pup mine! loud and clear in his scent. Roy’s answering growl is all pleased alpha.
Lian nuzzles up on Jason, scenting him all on her own. Jason runs a hand through her hair as she does, undoing tangles with his fingers.
Lian grabs his face, and looks him very clearly in the eyes. She’s so damn cute. “May I have a pack bond?” She frowns. “I don’t like not feeling you in my head like I can daddy.”
There’s a single thread of control Jason has, that has him looking over at Roy. Lian is asking. Lian wants a bond. She’s old enough to know what it means, and the more pack bonds she has at this age, the better.
Roy’s face is soft and awed. “Jason of course, she asked, it’s okay.”
“Yes,” Jason says, voice rough. He brushes her hair out of the way, gently pulls her shirt down enough so he doesn’t catch it with his teeth. Her pack gland is unmarked, as it should be. He’s gentle when he lines up his teeth, making sure to not bite beyond the gland itself. He’s firm when he bites down, just until he feels the bond snap between them. There’d been a thin one between them before, but it wasn’t meant for distance, or any real connection. It was just vaguely there but now—Lian is a spot of gold in his head, and the love he has for her cannot be described.
Lian lets out a little gasp, and then launches herself at Jason, locking her tiny limbs around him. Jason grips her back, holding her as she adjusts to the new bond. His purring could probably shake the building apart at this point, but he’s far beyond caring.
She shifts, and with her little puppy teeth she bites his pack gland, and the bond becomes stronger than steel in Jason’s mind, and he’s never, ever letting her go.
(How could anyone? How could anyone break this? How could anyone want to?)
She’s bright in his mind, his pup, and he can’t believe that he gets to claim her as his. That she’s now undeniably his pup.
Roy’s a sentinel behind them, his own love and happiness twisting with Jason’s.
Jason opens his other arm, looking at Danny over Lian’s head, not wanting the other pup to feel left out. Danny has (barely) enough of a bond to not be in grave danger right now, but they’ll have to keep an eye on him. Pups with weak bonds are much more prone to getting sick, but Jason refuses to force one.
Danny’s been through more than Jason knows, and while Jason would love to have Danny’s bond in his head, right next to Lian’s, it has to be his choice.
(He tries not to think about the fact that if Danny had been just a little worse, just a little weaker, Jason would’ve had to bite him and hope a bond formed. It would’ve been the only way to keep the pup alive. It was too close, and it’s hard to think of it.)
Danny comes to him, curling next to Lian and allowing Jason to cuddle them both. They stay like that a long time, with Lian poking around at her new bond. Time goes to liquid again, so Jason has no idea how much time has passed before he wakes up with a hand tapping his face.
He blinks up at Danny and croons a question. Lian is nearby, but not in the nest right now—she’s eating pancakes, Jason realizes. While Jason eats many foods in his nest, and in the Wayne family nest, he’d banned anything with sticky components after the first time someone had spilled syrup.
It’s a little rough having her out of the nest, but her bond is bright with happiness at the food, so he doesn’t call her back.
“Why’d you save me?” Danny whispers and oh, fuck, Jason’s not sure he has enough brain power for this conversation. He’s still foggy with heat.
Jason clears his throat, and tries to find words. Something other than pup hurt, must protect. “I don’t leave pups hurt and alone. Been there—scared, hungry, broken bonds.” The only reason Jason had survived as long as he had on his own was the thin bond he’d still had with Willis and the various temporary bonds he made with some of the street omegas.
Danny seems to absorb that for a moment, which is good, because Jason needs a minute to gather more words.
“Saw you, knew you were hurt, was gonna keep you safe through my heat.” Jason runs a hand over Danny’s head, scenting him, he just can’t not. “Smelled you—abandoned.” There’s a touch of a growl to the words, but Danny doesn’t flinch. He seems to be waiting for something. “Made me—angry. Pups shouldn’t be abandoned. Can’t understand.”
Danny lets out a little breath, cocking his head.
“I can,” Danny says and something in Jason breaks a little. “I’m not a normal pup. I…” He shrinks in on himself. “I had an accident. I did something I shouldn’t have, and mo—my old pack didn’t like it. Said I wasn’t human.”
Jason can’t stop the growl, the utter fury that crashes through him at that. It’s only the pup sitting on his chest that stops Jason from climbing out of this nest and tracking down the pup’s old pack. He’s hunted for bastards in heat before, he can do it again.
Danny pulls back a bit, watching Jason warily. It takes a lot to find control, to think through the fury and heat and need to protect his pup.
“Lies,” Jason hisses out, trying to steady himself. The pup’s here, the pup’s safe, and no one is getting through to him.
“But you don’t know,” Danny whispers, voice thin and small. “You don’t know. I had an accident. I got—powers. I’m…I’m not always like this.”
“Don’t care,” Jason says without even thinking. Whatever power’s the kids got, whatever “Not always like this” means, they’ll handle it. He’s not letting the kid go back to people who call him not human.
“Roy might,” Danny says, looking out to where Roy is keeping Lian at the kitchen island. He says it so low Jason nearly misses it.
“He won’t,” Of this Jason is sure. Between the two of them they’ve trained besides hundreds of different powers and abilities, if they don’t know any advice to give the kid themselves, chances are they know someone who can.
Danny looks close to crying. “V-Vlad told me no one else got us. That we were the only two out there and I had to go with him. H-he said if I didn’t, he’d just leave me, and without bonds I’d die.”
Jason’s gripping the blankets with all his might in one hand, trying to maintain control. Who the fuck says that to a pup? Who the fuck implies they’d leave a pup to die if they didn’t submit?
“He hurt you,” Jason manages, because the pieces are starting to come together. The broken bonds from his parents—his pack. The bruises on the back of his neck and on his pack gland, probably from this Vlad asshole.
Danny shrugs, the movement jerky and small. “Bond didn’t take.”
“Forced bonds usually fail,” Jason says, remembering the bloody mess his neck had been left when Ra’s had tried.
“...Is it bad, that I don’t want to go back?” Danny whispers, and Jason’s heart jerks.
“No.” Jason says, and he desperately wants to pull the pup close and cuddle him until he forgets his problems, but that’s never worked in the history of humanity. “You don’t…have to go back to people who hurt you.”
“I think I had a sister,” Danny says, looking out at Lian and Jason swallows. Fuck.
“Yeah?”
Danny nods. “People came, said mom an—said my pack couldn’t raise pups. That they were hurting her. They took her away. They hid me. They never told anyone they had me, they said. But they took her, ‘cause she was in school and people knew she existed. They didn’t believe her when she tried to tell them about me.”
That’ll be something to look up later, but oh baby.
“You’re found,” Jason says and it’s the only thing he can manage right now. “You’re found, Danny.”
Danny swallows. He moves the collar of his shirt, revealing his pack gland. It’s looking a lot better than it did when Jason first found him, but it’s still a little bruised. His neck too, but they’re both healing.
“Can—may I have a pack bond?” Danny asks, and Jason’s torn between utter joy, fury that Danny sounds like he expects Jason to say no, and the driving need to show this pup just how much he matters to Jason.
A pup asking for a bond is rarely greeted with a no. Most pups will already have a bond with all of their pack, and they’ll only not have bonds with either a packmember’s mate or a new addition. If a pup is old enough to make that decision for themself, then it’s courtesy to wait for them to ask.
But people rarely say no.
(There’s an utterly adorable video of a young pup, maybe three, running up to a woman who was dressed up, looking like a princess. The pup asked in awe for a pack bond, because she wanted to be a princess too. The woman merely tapped the top of the pup’s head and smiled, telling her she’s already a princess. The pup turned on a dime and ran back to her pack members, thrilled with this development.)
But Danny’s looking at Jason like he’s prepared for a no, like he expects Jason to deny him after Jason’s spent the last five-ish days taking care of him. The pup is coated in Jason’s protective scent, as claimed as Jason can make him without a bite.
“Yes,” Jason says, every instinct screaming in victory. His! This is his pup! “Yes, Danny, of course pup.”
Danny swallows as tears gleam in his eyes. “Really?”
“Really,” Jason forces out, sitting up carefully so as not to dislodge the pup. He bumps his head to Danny’s, purring slightly. “My pup.”
Danny whines, all puppy, and Jason can’t stand it. He croons, checking to be sure Danny’s shirt is out of the way. Danny smells of disbelief, pleasepleaseplease, want-happy, and oh is Jason going to have a blast tearing his former pack apart.
Danny’s pack gland is still a little bruised, but it shouldn’t take much pressure to start a bond. Jason hates that it’s there at all, but his bite won’t make it worse. Danny tenses a bit when Jason lines up his teeth, but Jason simply rumbles a reassurance. Jason bites, and like he suspected it doesn’t take much for a bond to hum into place.
Danny gasps, and goes completely and utterly limp. Startled, Jason catches him, holding the pup close. Danny’s bond is fine, and he doesn’t smell injured, but there’s the faintest thrum of shock echoing up from the bond. Which, Jason supposes, makes sense. Getting a new bond after suddenly losing his old ones is probably a little like getting whiplash.
“He okay?” Roy asks, with Lian hovering by his side.
“Yeah,” Jason says, sighing as he leans back against a small mountain of pillows. “Little bit of bond shock.” Something dark flashes over Roy’s face, but it’s gone in an instant.
“Understandable,” Roy says, but it’s clear he doesn’t think it’s all that understandable. None of this should’ve happened to Danny. Or any pup. “Lian wanted to bring you something to eat, but she knows syrup is banned from the nest.”
Jason looks down to Lian, who very proudly holds up a pancake that’s been rolled around some fresh berries—when did they get fresh berries? They hadn’t been in the fridge when Jason had left to go to Roy’s. It looks pretty good, honestly, even without syrup.
“Thanks, Lian,” Jason says and Lian scrambles up into the nest, carefully keeping her creation out of the blankets.
He eats it with care not to drop berries in the nest, Lian curled against him, petting Danny’s hair.
His heat breaks later that night, which makes this officially his longest heat at six days and roughly four hours. Which is. So very unnecessary really.
Danny’s recovered from his bond shock, and is promptly dragged from the nest by Lian so she can show him where she’s at on the latest Pokemon game. He can feel them both through the bonds, Danny a little wary but curious and Lian all joy. They’ll have to sit both kids down and explain things—more Danny than Lian—and see how the kids expect things to play out from here.
Of course, that’ll have to be after he and Roy talk, because they haven’t quite managed that yet either.
“I need like, three showers,” Jason complains as he stares at his nest. It all needs to get rearranged, and several blankets need a good washing. Throughout his heat, random items from his pack had shown up. There’s a scent from pretty much everyone, and Jason really can’t pinpoint when he’d accepted any of the items into his nest. But he hopes Danny took a whiff of them, and realized what they were.
“Go and take one,” Roy says, and it’s amazing to have him so close. “I can pull some stuff out of the nest, if that’s okay.”
Jason looks over, and yeah, okay, the shower’s gonna wait. He gets into Roy’s space, until all he can smell is alpha. Roy’s eyes darken and there’s the lightest of growls.
“Jason,” Roy grinds out, and Jason grins.
“Roy,” he returns, shameless. He’s waited so long, made Roy wait so long. “You know what I was heading to your apartment for.”
Roy moves closer, putting them chest to chest, and there’s a little thrill in being taller than Roy. “Yes, I do.” Roy reaches up, putting his hand on Jason’s cheek. “There was a bet going on when you’d notice.”
Jason snorts, raising a brow. “It can’t have been as bad as Dick and Wally. Nor have as much money in it as Tim, Kon, and Bernard.”
“You’re all idiots,” Roy snaps out, without much real heat. “I don’t understand how people who are so damn smart can be so dumb when it comes to realizing they’re actively being courted.”
Jason chuckles. “Yeah, yeah, we’re not bright when it comes to courting, okay? Diana and Clark partially had to leave a trail of breadcrumbs for Bruce to be able to figure it out.”
“Wait, they’re actually mates?” Roy asks, utterly sidetracked. “But Clark and Lois—”
“Are still mates,” Jason says, exasperated. “Lois knows and encourages it. I don’t want to know the details, please don’t make me think about it.”
Roy laughs outright, amusement deepening his scent. “Alright, I’m much more interested in talking about us anyway.”
Jason purrs, leaning down to nuzzle Roy. “I see your claim, Alpha.” He says, making Roy rumble, and his hands grip Jason’s waist. “I’m pleased by your care, I acknowledge your strength.” Roy’s scent rises, mixing with Jason’s own. It’s the best thing he’s ever smelled. “I will gladly carry your mark.”
Roy growls, pushing until Jason’s back is pressed against the closest wall. “I see your claim, Omega.” Roy returns, and joy thrills in Jason. Fucking finally. “I’m pleased by your protection, I acknowledge your trust.” Jason gets his hands on Roy, finally laying scent on him. “I will gladly carry your mark.”
Jason tilts his head, for once allowing easy access to his mating gland. Roy skims his hands over the fabric of Jason’s shirt, before pulling it aside. Jason shudders, his gland feeling overstimulated despite Roy having barely touched it. Roy leans in, tapping his forehead to Jason’s, and the feeling of him, the wisps of his breath on Jason’s face is everything.
Roy brings his head down over Jason’s neck, sniffing at Jason’s gland. It feels large and much more prominent than he’s used to.
“I love you,” Roy says a mere second before his teeth close over Jason’s mating gland. The bond that lights up between them is deep. Deep and bright and strong. Jason’s knees go a little weak, but Roy has him, supports him as the bond and the mating thrum through Jason. It’s a rush of hormones, a rise of instincts.
He and Roy are mates. Their scents will always carry the other with them. Their bond runs deeper, more open than others.
Jason scrabbles a hand at Roy’s neck, trying to move his shirt. He needs to return the bite, and he needs to do it now. Roy tilts his head, allowing Jason to surge forward and line up the bite. It takes mere seconds for Jason to get his teeth around Roy’s mating gland, to taste Roy’s pheromones. He bites, and the bond between them redoubles. Roy makes a small sound, and they’re holding each other up.
The emotions that run between them are loud, uncensored, unfiltered. They’ll be able to dial back on the intensity after the initial shock of it, just like any other bond, but they’ll always be able to feel more of each other. If needed, they might even be able to send simple words and phrases through it.
“I’ve wanted to do that for years.” Roy says, and they’re still pressed close. “But that was so worth the wait.”
“I am quite the catch,” Jason agrees, and he deserves the playful swat Roy gives him.
“Does this mean I can call Jason Dad?” Lian asks from the doorway, and Roy laughs, but Jason—Jason loves her so much. “Or maybe papa? Pops?”
“Whatever you want, pup.” Jason says, and god he’d give her the world if he could. Sap, comes clearly through his shining bond with Roy and Jason rolls his eyes. Like Roy wouldn’t do damn near anything Lian asked of him.
Lian suddenly squeals, her bond practically skipping with joy. “Danny! Danny we’re siblings!”
Danny leans around her, a little shy. “Do…does that mean we’re a pack now?”
Jason’s heart aches, and he buries the anger that sparks in him. “Yeah, pup, we’re a pack.”
“I can’t wait for you to meet our aunts and uncles!” Lian declares and there’s a fissure of alarm through Danny.
“We’ll take it slow, pup,” Roy assures, stepping back from Jason and turning his attention towards both pups. “But you’ve got quite a large pack that’s going to love you.”
Danny blinks and his bond beats with apprehension and disbelief. “They won’t care that I’m…” he looks at Jason, before flicking his gaze back to Roy.
“They won’t care that you’ve got powers pup,” Jason assures, though he doesn’t think that’s exactly what he was going to say. “We’ll help you figure them out, but we love you just the same.”
Roy doesn’t even blink at the mention of Danny having powers. “The only way I’d care about you having powers, Danny, is if they were hurting you. You’re our pup, and not the only person we know with powers.”
Danny swallows, trying not to cry. “B-but they’re not good. They make me not a person. M-mom and dad said I was just pretending to be human.”
Jason has to step back, has to stop the flare of instinct and the lingering snap of the pits. Both demand his pup’s former’s pack death. He has to swallow the bone deep snarl that wants to crash out of his chest, deeper even than some Alpha’s can manage.
“You are a person.” Jason and Roy say, nearly in sync.
“You’re not pretending,” Roy continues, squatting down and holding out his hands for both the pups. Lian comes easily, looking concerned. Danny hesitates, but Jason can’t touch anything right now. He can’t trust his grip, can’t trust his voice. He needs a little more time to calm down. If anyone tries to tell him that Danny needs to go back to his birthpack, he’ll feed them their own livers.
Danny moves closer to Roy, taking his hand but not coming any closer. Roy doesn’t try to force it.
“I know you haven’t had a chance to talk to me, much.” Roy says, giving Lian a one armed hug as she snuggles into him. “And this is all really new, but you’re with us now pup. And you’re a person, no matter what your powers are, no matter what you can do. I’m sorry you were told you weren’t. It was wrong for anyone to say that to you.”
Danny trembles a bit, before he moves, quicker than a pup should be able to, and slams into Roy’s open side with all his might. Roy lands firmly on his ass.
Jason snorts, and then laughs, the sight helping to ground him again.
“Welcome to our pack, pup,” Jason moves up to Roy, squatting down to join them. Lian’s giggling and Danny has a small smile on his face. Jason ruffles both pup’s heads, contentment pulsing through him. He can’t even tell who it’s coming from, but it’s a welcome feeling. Jason catches the slightest flash of mischief, but before he can figure it out, Roy surges off the floor, tackling him and squeezing the pups between them.
They’re both giggling like mad, and Jason breathes in the scent of happy pups and loving mate. This is not how he’d thought this week would go, but he’s pretty happy with the results.
They’ll deal with all the details later, for now, Jason’s got pups to tickle.
A week later:
“...Ghosts.” Jason repeats and Danny nods his head. Roy feels like what is our lives and Jason has to agree. When Danny had said powers, Jason didn’t know he meant the ability to transform, phase through walls, and go fucking invisible.
God, if Danny ever wants to sneak out, there’ll be no stopping him. Fuck.
“Alright.” Roy says. “I’ll admit that’s an unusual one.”
“Unusual,” Jason agrees. “But you’re still our pup, even if you’re also a ghost.”
“That’s so cool,” Lian says and Jason does not like the look in her eyes. She’s going to encourage trouble, and it’s going to make Jason go gray.
Is this payback for all the shit he put Bruce through? He really feels like this is a bit much.
“We’ll figure out a way to help you practice your powers,” Roy says and Jason nods. Lian already knows about the vigilante stuff, and they’d planned on telling Danny but it looks like they’ll have to move that time line up. Oh, well.
“Thank you for telling us, pup,” Jason says, moving to nuzzle the pup. There’s been a lingering spark between them, a connection that’s both the same and different from the packbond. Maybe it’s because they’ve both kinda died. (He seriously needs to track down Danny’s birthpack and make them pay. Who the hell leaves a child alone in a goddamned lab?)
“We’ll get some stuff started after your placement test tomorrow,” Roy says and he heads over to start dinner.
“Thanks, dad.” Danny says and shock/joy/love crashes through Roy. Jason smiles.
The kid’s full of surprises, but he’s made their family whole.
Wrangling Lian, Jason starts towards the kitchen to help.
Worth the wait indeed.