Disclaimers: No one and nothing here is mine.

Spoilers: Vague ones for Batman #385.

Summary: Sometimes Bruce needs a little help.

Ratings Note/Warnings: R. Content some readers may
find disturbing.

Author's Note: Happy birthday, Mary! There's no one I'd
rather tumble down the rabbit hole of obscure fannish
obsession with. *g*

Acknowledgments: To Jack and LC for audiencing and
encouragement.

*

The thing about Bruce is that he's actually pretty easy to
distract. He's a genius, and he's *Batman*, but he's still a
guy who spent way too much time alone as a kid, and not
enough time with Dick even when he was *here*.

(And that's never going to make any sense to him. Not
really. Dick was *Robin*, like he is, and, well...)

He's still *Bruce*, and that means that sometimes he needs
a little help.

A nudge under the dinner-table-of-the-moment to remind
him that the beautiful society Lady on his right needs a little
more attention.

A sharper, more *distinct* kind of nudge in the Cave when
he starts *brooding* about how dangerous the life is.
Because, well, there *are* a lot of things Jason could take or
leave about being Robin, but still. There's no reason to be
*insane*. He's been performing since before he could really
form sentences, and if Bruce isn't always Batman enough to
tell when Jason's giving him a little show... well.

It all works out.

And really, this is just the way things *do* work when you
have a partner, like the way his Mom always wore *that*
perfume when his Dad was worried about bills, and the way
his Dad always knew when it was time for wildflowers, as
opposed to hothouse roses.

Like the way Bruce hasn't forgotten a birthday or even any
of the little anniversaries Jason kept *before* his parents
died since Jason's been here.

Like the way he *won't*.

So, when Bruce gives him *that* look when Jason slides
into bed beside him, that look which is all about unfinished
sentences and the really *deep* lines Bruce is going to have
on his forehead when he's old, and also sometimes Bruce's
shaking hands... he's not surprised.

It's been a month since the last time he had to deal with it --
that *they* had to deal with it. Bruce was due.

He's also not upset. Granted, Jason was *hoping* to just get
a little cuddle and a decent night's sleep tonight -- Robin
had wound up getting dumped in *three* different piles of
garbage tonight and he *hates* supervillains and also when
he has to wash his hair this much it's dry and useless for
*days* -- but, well.

It's all *about* compromises.

"Jay --"

"Bruce."

And Bruce frowns, and opens his mouth, and Jason's really
*not* going to let him start stammering. It's beneath him,
and it has nothing to do with *them*. Instead, he snuggles
a little closer, and reaches for the hand Bruce isn't touching
him with and moves it until he *is*.

"Forever," he says. "Remember?"

Sometimes Jason has to add a little to that. A bit about how
he's not ever going to leave, or a raised eyebrow, or maybe
just a smirk.

(The smirk is kind of a Big Gun, though, and Jason likes to
save those.)

Sometimes a little hint of a 'please,' will do it, too.

Right now, though...

Right now, Bruce is breathing like Jason had done
something *other* than get thrown around a lot tonight, or
maybe like one of those times his legs had been in the air...

Heh. Maybe a *little* smirk.

"You know, Bruce..." And he cups Bruce's hand, and makes
him *squeeze*, and it's good, as good as it ever is. "I don't
*have* school tomorrow."

And if the sound Bruce makes is a little too pained, and a
little too sharp...

Well. He's also *making* it directly into Jason's mouth.

Just like he should.

end.