Chapter Text
Jason looked at Dick and Dick looked at Jason. Constantine buried his head under the pillow and looked at neither of them.
“So,” Jason drawled. “What mission was it this time?”
Dick groaned, but stood up, very glad he’d had the brain power to put on pyjama pants before crawling back into bed last night. Or maybe early this morning.
“Hello, brother dear, so lovely to see you.”
“Dickface,” Jason acknowledged, hand reaching towards his gun since apparently he’d come in almost full gear. “I’m waiting for the excuse.”
Dick grabbed his brother’s wrist and started walking, making for the bedroom door. Jay allowed this because Dick grabbed him somewhat regularly on the way to make food if Dick was woken up before his brain kickstarted.
“No excuse. I slept with him. Now, I love you dearly and would kill and die for you, have in fact, but need you to get out because you’re not the first person I’m going to be discussing any of this with.”
The door slammed in Jason’s face before Dick could figure out which part of the sentence had his Little Wing utterly speechless. Dick threw the deadbolt a good thirty seconds before his brother started pounding on the door.
“Pants,” he hissed to Constantine, who had not managed to throw on anything other than underwear before crawling back into bed previously.
Constantine just blinked at him before looking to the door and the loud noise that was a large hand banging repeatedly on the wood.
“Pants!” Dick repeated. “Come on, John. I’m not having this conversation in a city filled with Bats and Batbugs. Grab your fucking trousers and portal us out, right fucking now, please and thank you.”
That was the jolt Constantine needed and the man was up, grabbing each of their go bags (Constantine had started leaving one at Dick’s place shortly after the Slime Cult incident and it had migrated to Dick’s room a couple months after that, since nightmares were easier to face when you weren’t alone). A moment later and they were standing in a forest.
They both quickly dressed and armed themselves, since paranoia and training and trauma didn’t just stop because you needed to have a conversation and were apparently surrounded by nothing but trees.
Dick turned to study Constantine just as the man ran a hand through disheveled hair.
“I need to know if you’re going to freak out and disappear,” Dick told the older man. “Because you’re kind of one my strongest anchors and I get a little panicky if I don’t hear from you at least once a week and I need to prepare myself if you’re going to insist on distance or some shit like that.”
Constantine huffed, then sighed. “No, luv. I mean, can’t guarantee there won’t be a bit of panic. But doubt I could stay away if I tried.”
Dick hummed before deciding to fuck it. He stepped forward and cradled Constantine’s face in his hands, thumbs stroking over scars and stubble.
“I adore you,” Dick started. “I adore you and I’m not going to lie, a lot of that’s the time travel shit. But not the part where you’re the one who brought us back, or because you saved me, or because you’re the only one who knows. I have Dami, really fucking supportive family and friends, and a weird man who wears a lot of orange and is exceedingly happy to resort to violence on rooftops.”
Dick let one hand slide down lower, settling on the side of Constantine’s neck so Dick could feel the beating of his pulse.
“You’re broken as fuck, John. And you keep standing back up. I admire that and adore that and trust that more than almost anything. I can be broken with you and I don’t need to explain why, not when you either already know or you don’t give a shit. You see my cracks as something I’ve earned, something that makes me dangerous instead of weak.”
John let out a shuddering breath but slid both hands around Dick’s lower back, not pulling him closer but keeping him close.
“I can be dangerous with you,” Dick admitted. “You know what I’ve done; you’ve literally helped me bury the bodies. I never have to pretend or act or smile if I don’t fucking want to. Never have to hide the part of me that’s been a weapon since I was ten years old. Never have to reconcile that part of me with the part that gets you to portal us around the country because I want to find the best ice cream for my siblings. I’m safe with you.
“I love you, John Constantine, and I need you. So, if that’s too much, if you need to pretend this conversation never happened, then fine. If you need to pretend last night never happened, then, well, not fine, because I refuse and will never ever forget, but I have a lot of experience treasuring memories that will never again see the light of day.”
“Do not,” Constantine rasped, “compare anything that happened last night to memories of a time that was so shite we broke the rules of magic and time to escape.”
Dick laughed, even if the sound was a little jagged.
Warm hands covered his, pressing Dick’s palms closer to Constantine’s skin. “I will do awful, terrible things if you’re taken from me, luv. I don’t, I don’t have your morals, not anymore. Not any longer. You don’t need me as much as I need you and that, that ain’t fair to you.”
“That’s fine,” Dick told his trembling warlock. “I’m a Bat. We never play fair in the first place.”
Constantine looked at him with purpled eyes that sparked and smudged, stars in a cloudy sky, before wrapping both arms around Dick’s neck and pulling him into a kiss.
This kiss was better than anything from last night. Better than the two of them, tired and sore and suddenly falling to inevitability when waking up after crashing for hours in Dick’s bed after a difficult mission. Dick had been the one to kiss Constantine, then, even as Constantine had been the one to pull him closer. There had been no thought, no explanation or bargaining or guilt. Just warmth and safety and care.
This kiss was support and love and intent.
“Shite,” Constantine muttered when they pulled apart. “Your hellions are going to murder me.”
Dick laughed, because the man wasn’t wrong. “I expect you to survive somehow, just so we’re clear.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure I got something up my sleeve.” Constantine shrugged off his impending doom, or at least his immediate future of being chased with sharp things and fire, to tug Dick by the hand and grab the bags they’d abandoned by a nearby tree.
Dick was quite happy to be led, since he was greatly enjoying their clasped fingers. Still, he felt the need to ask, “Where are we going, exactly?”
“I was, quite reasonably, a mite off my game this morning and am possibly not entirely sure where we are.”
They both looked around at the dark trees and possibly slightly ominous mist.
“This time, I’m opening a bloody portal to a beach, so we can take a damn vacation before I get skewered.”
Battle Stations
Jason: To war.
Roy: Did that Dickhead get kidnapped again?
Roy: Or go ‘missing?’
Donna: Because we can speed up the tracker plan.
Roy: And try the Adoption Problem Talk again.
Roy: Without falling for his petty distractions.
Jason: No.
Jason: Target: John Constantine.
Roy: I see.
Kori: Are we offering congratulations and providing a Talk of Shovels?
Kori: Or setting him on fire for hurting our friend?
Jason: …
Jason: I’m required to say no to the second since no actual crime against Dick has been committed and he would probably be sad.
Jason: But.
Jason: Let's skip the congratulations and go straight to the shovels.
Donna: Titans meeting in an hour.
Donna: Bring your own plans and weapons.
Dick Protection Society: Home Chapter
Jason: Activate Plan C9-2
Tim: Damn.
Tim: I’d hoped for more time.
Jason: Dad, you’ll take care of contacting the League?
Bruce: …
Bruce: Yes.
Jason: Cass, Steph, how soon can you be back at the cave?
Steph: 30 minutes.
Steph: Maybe 20 with the way Cass is driving.
Barbara: I’ll have the debrief and location updated by then.
Barbara: Email me your top 3 ideas each and I’ll add them to the chart.
Alfred: I will prepare tea.
Crystal Ball Smashing Crew
Damian: This is your only warning.
Damian: They know and they are not pleased.
Dick: Shit.
Constantine: Not unexpected.
Constantine: Unlike the warning.
Damian: I am not entirely opposed.
Damian: You have already proven both the ability and desire to commit crimes and shatter the fabric of reality for Richard.
Damian: A minimum requirement for his potential partners.
Dick: What crimes?
Constantine: Nothing provable in a court of law.
Damian: You’re also aware of my abilities should you ever fail to be the partner Richard deserves.
Damian: Please cast your mind back to the December Mission if you need a reminder.
Constantine: That is a surprisingly effective shovel talk.
Constantine: Noted, Littlest Hellion.
Dick: I have so many questions.
Damian: Can you be distracted with ice cream?
Dick: …
Dick: Have you been asked to distract me with ice cream?
Damian: Yes.
Damian: And have been provided with appropriate funds and time for the task.
Dick: Sorry John,
Dick: The beach was great.
Dick: But I’m abandoning you for a bonding day with Dami.
Constantine: I expected nothing less.
Constantine: This mean you’re officially neutral in the upcoming war?
Dick: Going to send me photos?
Constantine: Sure.
Dick: Have at ‘em.
Damian: May you prove your worth as a combatant and partner.
Dick: Aw.
Constantine: I’m actually a bit touched.
Damian: I hope you’re aware that you will be judged by the Batfamily, the Titans, the Justice League, and select Gotham Rogues.
Dick: And Slade.
Dick: And Wintergreen, who’s actually more concerning.
Dick: He and Alfred have monthly teas now.
Constantine: Well aware.
Constantine: I would hardly be a worthy partner to Nightwing if I didn’t have the occasional plan of my own, would I?
Damian: I am not sure how to respond to this.
Constantine: Good.
Constantine: They won’t either.
Damian: Richard, why can I hear you cackling?
Damian: I was not aware you were at the manor already?
Dick: I’m dating a walking magical portal.
Dick: Get ready to be kidnapped, Baby Bat.
Dick: I’m not sticking around to get caught and questioned.
Dick: Have fun, Johnny-boy.
Dick: Don’t die.
Constantine: Yes, dear.
Dick Protection Society: Home Chapter
Dick: I love him.
Dick: Test him however you want.
Dick: But remember that I chose him.
Dick: Like I chose you.
Dick: He’s going to give as good as he gets.
Jason: How the fuck did Dick break into this chat?
Tim: Shit.
Alfred: Language.
Barbara: He’s gone.
Barbara: I’ve confirmed it.
Barbara: He hacked in just for that message and then let himself be booted out by my program.
Cass: :(
Steph: Wait. Does he know about the other Chapters?
Steph: Is the entire Society compromised?
Damian: It is not.
Damian: I told him the group name was chosen for the particular venture of plotting to threaten his new choice in partner.
Steph: Good work Baby Bat!
Tim: Agreed.
Tim: When can you commence the distraction?
Damian: We are already in a small coastal city I’ve been told not to name.
Damian: Richard is deciding on ice cream flavours. I told him to surprise me so have at least five more minutes before going dark.
Jason: Yeah, Big Bird takes his ice cream seriously.
Jason: Does this change anything?
Steph: Pretty sure it counts as permission.
Tim: Let's go with that.
Private
Clark: Please join me for lunch.
Constantine: I can do tomorrow at 2.
Constantine: Today isn’t an option unless you want to tell the Sirens you’re kidnapping me.
Clark: Thursday works perfectly.
Clark: Please come prepared.
Constantine: Oh, I will.
Private
Constantine: Pecan or Blueberry?
Lois: What?
Constantine: I imagine Ma Kent is often expected to make pie.
Constantine: And I’m ‘a walking magical portal’ apparently so am playing to my strengths.
Constantine: And Dick’s. There’s this bakery just outside of Star that almost made him cry over their pie.
Lois: Solid reasoning but I’m not providing tips.
Lois: I’ll see you at 7.
Lois: Clark is confirmed to be off-world and the boys are with the Titians.
Constantine: Plotting my demise.
Lois: Likely.
Lois: It was a bold move to approach us first.
Constantine: Yes, well.
Constantine: Dick told me I was expected to survive.
Lois: I’m starting to think you just might.
Constantine: Dick’s disappointed face is a powerful motivator.
Constantine: Particularly since he has access to my books and is petty enough to bring me back just for the face.
Lois: You’re not wrong.
Lois: Keep it up, Hell Sparkles, and you might just be part of this family after all.
Constantine: Joy.
Constantine: But I suppose that’s the point.