Chapter 21
“Let him go.”
The gravelly tone ordered, a near growl that echoed in the otherwise empty room. Peter turned to the voice, spotting the silhouette near the door. Pointed ears took shape, peeking out from the shadows. Damian’s heartbeat joined their dad’s from his perch in the rafters.
His senses didn’t catch anything . How didn’t he hear them?
Hood’s arms held onto Peter for a moment, his own heartbeat skyrocketing to a furious level. Peter could have sworn he heard his blood rush faster with it. The Red Hood stood, still holding on to Peter, one hand sliding to his holster by his right thigh.
“Wait!” Peter rubbed his eyes to clear the tears. How did they find him? Hood wasn’t doing anything wrong, they can’t arrest him for nothing! Right? Or would they try to arrest him for everything else he did? “He’s my friend!”
“Let him go, Hood.” Batman growled, ignoring Peter.
“How’d you find us?” Hood spoke, his voice going deeper than before. “S’not my fault you can’t keep track of your kids, is it?”
He knows??
Peter felt his hair stand on end as something flew in their direction. It was only Peter’s reflexes that managed to give him time to catch the batarang flying for Hood’s head. The serrated edges gleamed under the dim lighting of the gym, a threat from the rafters. A threat from his brother. Peter threw the batarang into the shadows far away from everyone, forcing himself to focus on all of them rather than the one.
“Stop it!” Peter yelled, holding onto Hood just a little more as he glared up at his brother. “He’s my friend!”
“Let me go, kid.” His voice softened as he whispered to Peter. Hood tried to lift Peter away, pulling at his hands that stuck to the vigilante.
“No! Just stop it!!” Peter shrieked, tears welling up again. What could he do here? How could he make them listen? Why were they already trying to fight? “If you guys don’t stop… I’ll… I’ll run away and no one will find me ever again!”
Peter watched as the two men hesitated. His track record now proved more than ever that Peter could run away and it was only accidental that he was ever caught each time. Hood stopped trying to pry him off and Batman froze in place. He could hear Damian shift in place but stayed away.
“Peter, he isn’t safe. Come here.” His dad’s voice softened just a little as he spoke. Staying a distance away still.
“No. He’s not a rogue. Hood’s good, he’s like you!”
“Excuse me?” Hood choked. “I’m nothing like him .”
“You’re a hero too! Just because you don’t like him doesn’t mean you aren’t.” Peter scolded, poking Hood’s neck to prove his point. “He’s just different and mom says different doesn’t mean bad.”
Batman sighed, his stance still stiff as before as he shifted to face forward just a little more. “He’s killed people, Peter. He’s not good.”
“So did Robin! You can’t say that.” Peter groaned. Damian was a literal assassin . “Hood’s tryna be good! He just does it differently. So what. I like him and you can’t take him away!”
“ Is Peter adopting the Red Hood?” Batman’s comm went off as his siblings placed bets on who’d win the exchange. A few voices rose in question to what Hood was doing with Peter but he chose to ignore that. Peter hadn’t considered bringing Hood home but maybe… he could keep a better eye on him this way. “ He’s really taking after you huh, B?”
Red Hood stood in place as Peter eyed his dad. He knew Hood couldn’t leave while Peter stuck to him and his dad and brother couldn’t do anything as long as Peter stayed close. Maybe he could bring Hood home…
“Feel a little objectified here, Pete.” Hood huffed, his heart rate calming a little.
“Do you wanna come home with us?” Peter grinned up at Hood. “You can have the room next to me! And we have a big gym and Alfred makes really good food.”
Damian’s sigh from the rafters was only audible to Peter who stuck his tongue out at his brother. He had to accept all of his dad’s new kids so the least they could do was accept his own.
“Peter…” Batman sighed as his entire body seemed to relax, deflating with his breath. “Red Hood is a criminal. He doesn’t regret what he did like Robin has.”
“Not yet .” Peter rolled his eyes. Bucky Barnes didn’t always regret his kills but he did understand the action itself as wrong. Things were not so black and white as his dad seems to think they are.
“ Bet 30 that Hood’s gonna be at breakfast tomorrow. ”
“ Fuck, I hope not. ”
“I don’t regret it. Those fu-fudgers deserve what they got.” Hood disagrees, tapping at Peter’s hand in a silent request that Peter ignores. “Kid, I appreciate this an’ all but just let me go. I told you, I’m not safe.”
Peter scowled, reaching for the cheeks of the mask to glare into Hood’s eyes. “No you aren’t . You’re nice and you’re my friend! Stop saying that.”
“You haven’t told him, then.” Damian landed behind them from his previous hiding spot, coming to rise and stare at the Red Hood. Peter frowned, watching as Hood shook his head. “Tsk. Pathetic.”
“Hey! Be nice.” Peter hissed. “You aren’t pathetic. Robin’s still learning to be nice.”
“Tell him what.” Batman started, taking a step closer as Hood moved a step farther from him.
He could hear Hood’s heart pick up again, a nervous flutter with both bats on either side of him. Peter glanced between all three. He didn’t want Hood to feel caged in but he also didn’t know how to convince them to leave them alone. Peter doubted his dad would even consider leaving Peter with Hood now that he knows about this.
Peter mentally apologized to Nate for the problems they both will face in the morning.
“He doesn’t have to tell you.” Peter shot his dad a look. “He doesn’t owe you or me anything.”
“This is a secret I believe you may want to know.” Damian scoffed, ignoring the glare Peter sent his way. Hood’s heart sounded anxious and Peter didn’t like it. He wanted to return to the calm it was during their earlier training.
“I don’t care! Leave him alone!”
–
He had a plan.
The Red Hood had spent years planning meticulously for his reveal when the time came. He planned for every action, every step and every little clue. He laid out his traps and he made his big debut and somehow the entire plan derailed at the first appearance of Peter.
Peter and his innocent eyes. His bright smile and caring words. His trust in a man his own dad chases after every night. And even still, Peter doesn’t even need to know his identity while he yells at Batman.
Was this how he revealed himself? Cornered in a gym with Peter clinging to his side?
No grand threat, no proof of Bruce’s limited love? No Joker to remind him of just what he allows to live in this damned city?
Fuck.
“You care.” Damian sighed, staring at Hood through the domino mask. The red and yellow of the Robin suit clear under the dim lighting of the gym.
How much longer till Peter wears it? How long would Peter last in it?
Is he really doing this here? Now?
“Peter…” Jason sighed, his free hand gliding over the mechanisms to disarm the bomb. He really is doing this apparently.
Peter’s doe eyes peered at him curiously, looking years younger than he already was.
Bruce stood at the ready just a few paces away. He knew the man would be there in an instant if Jason tried anything, not that he would dare with Peter in his arms. He would have shot the old man already if it wasn’t for Peter.
Lifting his mask free from his head, Jason focused on Peter.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier.”
–
The silence felt so loud despite Peter hearing all their hearts. Hood’s was racing, panicked and anxious. His dad’s ticked up a little before evening out and Damian’s stayed consistent. The Red Hood looked like…
“You’re the stalker!” He was the guy who carried Peter out of Crime Alley the first time he went! The same guy that showed up around his school after the Joker incident. Peter eyed the stripe of white in his hair curiously as Hood choked. The stripe reminded him of skunks and badgers. He wondered why the stalker dyed his hair that way.
It definitely wouldn’t help if he was trying to stay anonymous.
“Jaylad…” His dad started, confusing Peter for a moment.
“Jaylad?” Peter studied the man before him again. The blue eyes stared back at Peter so heartbreakingly earnest, a faint scar in the shape of a J on his cheek… “Jason?”
Jason Todd… his… brother? He’s alive? He’s here? Red Hood has been Jason this entire time then. His brother has been back in Gotham for a while… His brother is alive, really alive?
“Yeah, Peter.” Jason whispered, an uncertain smile on his face.
Peter stared at him, his face going wobbly as tears welled up in his eyes. His brother was back . He’s here. He’s really truly here. “You’re back?”
“I’m back.”
He’s back. His brother, his Jason was back . Peter wrapped his arms around his brother, sobbing into his shoulder again as the revelation settled. Jason really was alive and Peter was right. He didn’t die and he’s home. Peter was never letting him out of his sight again.
He won’t lose him ever again. He’ll become Spider-man now if he has to. He’ll shove trackers in all of Jason’s shoes.
–
Jason was alive.
He failed but… but he’s alive. Somehow. In some way. Jason came back.
Bruce froze as both his sons stared at each other. Peter sobbed into Jason’s neck, clinging to him as tightly as he could without harming his brother. Jason, on the other hand, stood frozen in place with his arms holding Peter protectively.
When he tracked the pattern of Red Hood to this gym he had expected to find an illicit hideout. He expected to find guns and bombs, maybe even bodies were more likely. After everything, after all his careful plans and preparations, he had not expected his son to be inside while crying into the rogue’s arms.
He hadn’t expected Jason to be beneath the mask.
The clues weren’t red herrings.
Jason was really back.
With a vengeance.
Jason was… is his son. Jason Todd had died at 15 and now stands in front of him, holding his youngest in his arms as he carried guns strapped to his form. Red Hood was his lost son who came home. The question in the end, is if Jason was really back or if he came to finish what he started with Tim. He couldn’t let himself fall into the blanket relief of seeing Jason’s face, not without ensuring his other children were safe with him in Gotham. He had to stay focused, at least for now. Until he could be sure Peter was safe in Jason's arms, that Tim was safe in the city, that all his children weren't the next target of the Red Hood.
Bruce watched as Damian closed in, standing beside the two while sending brief glances to himself. He should move, intervene or pull Peter away while he’s distracted. Jason wasn’t here for a family gathering, after all.
Taking a deep breath, Bruce stepped away from the shadows he had planned to use when he first slipped inside. He could hear the chaos within the comms, everyone hearing the name from his own lips when he saw the mask lifted from one of his eldest son’s head.
“Cave, ten minutes.” Batman ordered before silencing the comms. Everyone needed time to think, to accept the news. He wouldn’t be able to remove Peter from Jason’s grasp.
He wanted to bring him home already. Bring his son back to the manor and hear what happened. Damian had known his identity, something he would have to talk to his other son about later. For now, he has to bring his family home. Everything else will be figured out later.
He just had to stay focused.
–
Peter sat in Jason’s lap, glaring at everyone who stalked the sides of the batcave. He had refused to leave his brother’s side since the revelation and had been brought into the cave for the blood test and eventual interrogation his dad would no doubt try to have.
“It’s really you…” Dick sat closest, staring at Jason from the other seat. Peter watched his hands before shooting another glare at his dad and Tim. He didn’t like how mistrustful they all were, though he’ll accept Tim’s reasons. Speaking of…
“Jason you gotta say sorry.” Peter turned to his brother, poking his cheek now that the mask rested on the table.
“I am sorry, Peter.” Jason frowned, his eyebrows creasing in confusion.
“Noooo, you gotta say sorry to Tim!” Peter pointed towards Tim as his other brother shifted behind Cass. Tim’s arms crossed, glaring at Jason from across the cave.
Jason looked at Tim before turning back to Peter before his eyes shifted in recognition. “Oh, right… Um. Sorry, Tim.”
Tim grunted from his hiding spot while Peter groaned into his brother’s shoulder. They’ll have to work on that. Peter spied on his dad as the results came in, staring at them. Steph had gotten comfortable next to a dozing Duke with popcorn as Cass stepped closer to join her. Tim stayed close to their little group to avoid being close to Jason.
Peter would have to talk to him later, after explaining how to properly apologize to people with Jason. He couldn’t let this turn into a civil war between family. No, Peter had to ensure they all stayed together by the end of this.
“Jason.” His dad started, coming towards the table. Peter stiffened as he approached, glaring in warning. His dad was not chasing out his brother. “Peter, go to bed. We will talk about your ‘playdates’ tomorrow. And I will call Williams about this.”
He already expected to be in trouble for sneaking out. Peter had managed to keep it up long enough it had to be embarrassing that the Bruce Wayne, AKA Batman, never suspected it. Still, he was not going to bed tonight until Jason went to sleep too.
“No. I’m staying here.” Peter crossed his arms to make his point. He would stay present for this as long as Jason was there, which would be forever. He was not losing his brother because his dad argued with him. Peter still hates when Tim or Dick leave but they also haven’t just come back from the dead.
“Peter, maybe you should get some sleep.” Jason nudged his side gently as Peter tugged on his brother’s jacket to wrap in front of him.
“Nope. I’m not going to bed. If dad wants to talk to you then I’ll stay right here.”
“ I will watch him .” Cass signed from beside Steph, frowning already at the argument.
Peter considered it. Cass would be best at keeping both of them calm and she could stop Jason from leaving. Still, he didn’t want to leave Jason’s side already. He’d just gotten him back.
“Please daddy! I don’t wanna leave Jason…” Peter willed the tears in his eyes again, it wasn’t very hard at the thought of losing his brother again. He pouted at his dad, jutting his lip out as he whined. He could already see his dad crumble at the request.
“It’s past your bedtime, kitten.” His mom entered the cave, her arms crossed. “And I hear you’ve been skipping out on enough of them already. If you sleep now, maybe we’ll still let you have lab time with Tim for the summer.”
Tim’s head shot up at those words, eyes bouncing between them. “Why am I being punished!?”
Peter gaped at his mom’s ultimatum. The entire summer!? They were just making headway on Stark’s tracking system! It would be ready for use in the field by then! Peter turned to Jason, he couldn’t just leave his brother…
“But…” Peter couldn’t fall into that trap. He would already be in trouble for sneaking out, especially for the numerous occasions it happened. And if Damian added what he knew… “I’m already in trouble… I’m staying.”
“Peter, buddy. Brother mine, reconsider. We’re almost done with the new lines of code! They’re almost perfect.” Tim offered from his seat.
“Come on, kitten.” Peter whined as his mom lifted him from Jason. “You can help Alfred make them a snack before bed.”
Jason sent him a small smile but Peter could still hear his heart. His brother felt anxious, uncomfortable to be left alone. He wanted to stay close to him. What if Jason leaves and never comes back? What if this is all a dream?
Peter stared at the walls of the elevator as his mom fiddled with his hair silently. He should care that he was in trouble but he couldn’t stop worrying about Jason.
“What if he leaves?” Peter pushed on his mom’s shoulders before she finally let him back on the ground, her hand taking his.
“We can’t force him to stay if he doesn’t want to, kitten. We don’t know what Jason’s gone through since then.” His mom led him out to where Alfred stood, a plate of finger sandwiches and cookies set on a tray already.
Peter left his mom’s side to slip around Alfred, peeking over the counter to look at the food. The cookies still had smoke trailing off them, freshly baked as is nearly all of Alfred’s pastries.
“Jason likes peanut butter cookies.” Peter pointed out after seeing the chocolate chips. Jason always went for the peanut butter ones before, he should have some of them now.
“Quite right, Master Peter.” Alfred nodded, opening the oven to remove a fresh batch of cookies. The smell of peanuts wafted in the air as he placed the tray above the stove. Peter grinned at him, Jason deserves his favorites.
–
“Hey Mr. Stark… Do you think Jason’s gonna stay?”
“I don’t know everything yet, bambino.” Stark’s voice cut through the deafening silence of Peter’s room. He’d been put to bed an hour ago but he just couldn’t sleep. Not when his brother was just in the cave below him.
Peter fell back on his bed, staring at the ceiling above him. He knew there wasn’t a way to sneak into the cave now with everyone inside. Stark wasn’t connected to the batcomputer yet either… but he was connected to their phones.
“Can you connect to Tim’s phone? Just the audio, I wanna hear what they’re saying.”
“Sure can, kid.” Peter smiled at the response before a near silent ping alerted him of the successful connection.
“...deserves it!”
“We don’t cross that line, Jason. You have-” His dad’s voice cut off as another voice joined in, his mom’s soft tone turning sharp as she spoke up.
“ Enough. Bruce, we are not here for a fight. And Jason, believe me there is nothing more we all want than for the Joker to die. The fact of the matter is that you cannot expect Bats here to turn his back on his own beliefs. Trust me, I’ve tried. Now both of you will grow up right now and remember that there is a little boy sleeping upstairs who wants nothing more than his family to be together again. The Joker will get what's coming to him but right now, you will all go up to your rooms and sleep. We will have breakfast as a family in the morning and Jason will catch up with his new siblings and Peter. Any complaints?”
“No ma’am.” Multiple voices chimed in at the end of his mom’s lecture. Peter grinned. Jason was staying the night!
–
Tim watched as everyone followed Selina back up to the manor. He stayed far away as Jason was led to the elevators by Selina’s hand, the others walking a step behind them. Still, he stayed around the table, watching the entourage.
Jason, the Red Hood, was staying the night.
He doubted he’d get any sleep with the enemy inside the manor. Closing his eyes, Tim forced himself to calm down. It wouldn’t do to let his anxiety have full reign, not while he was so close. Tim knew there was no point arguing with Peter. He would fight to keep Jason at home now that he’s back, forgetting everything Red Hood has done since he came back to Gotham.
Tim’s eyes opened after a moment, spotting Bruce leaning against the table. His eyes unfocused, staring at the back of the cave where the Robin memorial stayed. He wondered if Jason would have tried to kill Bruce again if he saw it, if Peter wasn’t there. Just how much of the Jason they saw tonight was the real thing? And how much of the Red Hood Tim saw that night was real.
Fishing his phone from his pocket, Tim eyed the apology notification from Stark. Peter must have eavesdropped...
“What is it?” Bruce asked, his head turned to face Tim.
“Peter used Stark to listen in. I don’t know how much he heard.” If Peter was listening the entire time… Tim wasn’t sure what he would think of it all. Peter was a loose cannon on his best days, impossible to predict and leaving everyone to scramble in the aftermath.
Tim wouldn't say it was a bad thing, Peter was a light in the manor. He was fun and the unpredictable chaos Peter brought around kept them on their toes. Still, the conversation and interrogation from this night is certainly not something Peter should have listened to. He didn't need to hear the arguing and the words thrown around while he was supposed to be sleeping.
“Stark?” Bruce eyed the phone, the deep seeded paranoia no doubt webbing up the worst case scenarios.
“An A.I Peter and I built. It’s his code, honestly. He wants Stark to help Babs with all the work she usually handles alone during everyone’s patrols.” Tim smiled, remembering Peter’s excited rambling about all the good Stark could do. He almost missed the eyes of his pseudo father.
Something distant and heavy flickered past them, the only break from his usual facade. Tonight must have been worse on him then Tim first thought.
“We don’t need it.” Pushing away from the table, Bruce made his way to the elevator. Tim quickly sped up to join him. “A.I can be dangerous, Tim.”
“Stark is helpful, I’ll add some extra limitations if that’ll help but I really think this could make things a lot easier for Barb and us. Hacking, tracking, pattern recognition. He’ll handle all of that for us.”
Tim waited for some form of a rebuttal from Bruce, watching the man as they entered the small space. Bruce stayed silent, only a tired grunt passed his lips.
It wasn’t total disapproval. Tim chose to pretend he agrees for now. It’s been a long night for everyone and he doubted it was ending for him anytime soon.
–
“Jason?” Peter knocked quietly on the door with Hood’s heartbeat. Peering inside to see Jason sat on the edge of his bed. “Can I sleep with you?”
He tried to go to sleep once everyone left the cave but the hearts were so loud. The manor was always loud, more so when his dad brought in kid after kid and Peter’s hearing skyrocketed. Everyone’s heartbeats filled his ears, their breathing and their nightmares.
Tonight it was louder. A new heartbeat that wasn’t all that new reverberated within the walls. A haunting beat that Peter couldn’t stop himself from focusing on.
“Come in, Pete.” Jason patted his bed, moving the comforter out of the way as Peter climbed under them. “You should already be asleep.”
“I can’t.” Peter focused on his brother’s face. The little scar that seemed so much bigger now. J. The Joker… “I’m scared I’ll wake up and you'll be gone.”
He got his powers from the Joker’s stupid attack on the museum. He could connect the dots from what he heard, Jason was killed by the Joker. Tim had been tortured by the Joker. His dad was haunted by the clown.
Peter might have been the curse… but the Joker was the catalyst. He's the one involving himself in Peter's family, tearing at it bit by bit. Haunting them every night even when he's locked in the Asylum.
“Sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.” Jason soothed, joining him in the bed as he pulled Peter close. “I promise.”