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If Dick were honest with himself, which he liked to avoid, he had no clue how his night had ended like this. Sure, it had started normal enough, whatever that meant since they'd found out that Red Hood was most likely Jason, returned from the dead, but after that?
Dick had been patrolling when Oracle told him about an altercation between Red Hood and Poison Ivy. Why a crime lord would want to duke it out with that particular Rogue was beyond him, but to each their own or whatever.
Well, that is until he arrived just in time to see Hood take a face full of pollen.
Which he inhaled.
Because he wasn't wearing his helmet. And oh. Yeah that was definitely Jason. Wow.
Hood went down like a lead balloon after that, coughing and disoriented and all in all not much of a challenge to cuff and get into the Batmobile.
Because this was Jason.
Jason who wasn't dead. Who´d come back somehow. Who was in Gotham but wasn't with them.
In the Batcave, the night continued to be strange. Bruce drew some blood and pollen, running it through their system.
They had to wait for a few moments, but then the analysis was done. It pinged on one (the blood) but not the other (the pollen).
So it really was Jason, who was sitting in the containment cell, spitting mad, still apparently disoriented and contaminated with a new strain of Ivy's pollen, one that could do who knows what, while they were helpless to watch.
It stressed out both him and Bruce.
The smell of stress-confusion-pain and worry-help-pack cloying in the air.
It got even worse when Jason started to show symptoms.
They didn't know what to expect, so when Jason went from angrily pacing the small cell, to being grumpy and sitting in the corner, they just thought he had exhausted himself, finally calming down a bit.
Maybe they could actually talk this time. About the Red Hood thing, and the resurrection. Dick definitely had some questions about that.
Then the smell started to turn. Or it had started, period.
Jason seemed to use scent blockers, like a lot of capes and masks, but apparently his scent overwhelmed those and a thick scent of omega-distress-pack? started to waft from the cell, putting Dick's instincts even more on edge than they already were.
Finally, Dick had caved, he could only take so much distressed omega smell before it drove him crazy, especially if it was from his little brother.
So he had decided to at least figure out the cause.
"Hey Jason. So, what's up? You smell uhhh, a bit like you're not having a good time? And I mean who knows what Ivy cooked up this time, so we don't really know if we should worry about you keeling over or something."
Yeah admittedly that hadn't been his best work.
Jason would probably agree.
"Fuck off," Jason scoffed, and tucked himself even farther into the corner.
Dick was now officially out of his depth.
There was a lot he wanted to say, to ask or even do. Just being so close to Jason but not able to hug or scent him? Even if he didn't have to worry about the pollen he knew that Jason wouldn't appreciate it. Hell they didn't even have a pack band anymore!
So Dick resigned himself to pretending to be busy in the cave, just close enough to keep an eye on the cells.
Until Jason started whining. And not just about the situation or being cold or whatever. No, it was a whine of a miserable omega, calling out to their pack.
But, Jason didn't have a pack. Did he?
He had died.
Dick had felt the pack bond snap even in the cold depths of space. He had felt Bruce´s anguish and desperation afterwards. He still felt it sometimes, the cold and empty space in the back of his mind, where a thrumming warmth used to reside. Until the Joker had wrenched it from them.
So was he pack? Was Jason calling out to him? To Bruce?
Dick took a half aborted step into the direction of the cells. Jason was calling for pack, but he hadn't come home. He had to have been somewhere in the past years and it was likely he was now calling for them, because Dick and Bruce weren't pack anymore.
He swallowed hard, as an alpha, especially one that didn't have any claim to Jason, he could do next to nothing to help, no soothing purr or familiar pheromones.
But it had seemed like that first whine had broken a damn, and both Bruce and Dick watched in confusion and horror as Jason started to actually cry, whines spilling from his lips as he frantically started pacing the cell, rattling the door and prodding the window.
He was trying to get out. Dick had realised and had felt sick to his stomach.
And then the pleading had started.
At first they barely managed to make out the words. Mumbled between heaving sobs, the air a swirl of desperate and panicked omega.
Then a deep breath, as Jason steeled himself, followed by a clear "Please. I need to make sure my pups are safe. They're- please. Please let me see my puppies."
The world seemed to tilt for a second.
This couldn't be right. He must have misheard or it was a ruse from Jason to be let go! He couldn't have pups!
Bruce had simply stood there for a moment, then left the room. His fists had trembled, lips pressed into a thin line, scent clamped down as he swished out of the Cave. Dick could only follow him with his eyes, still rooted to the spot by Jason´s revelation.
He had pups! Not just one! Puppies!
Several!
He was barely 19. He was- dear God.
Dick had taken another look at Jason's shivering form and had made a decision.
Which somehow let him to now.
Now being almost 1 am, and him on a roof in Crime Alley, the cold and wet November air biting through his suit and down to his bones.
He shivered.
Exactly 12 minutes ago he had watched as Hood had slipped into that building right across the street, none the wiser that he was followed.
It was a testament to how affected he was by Ivy´s pollen, that he hadn't even questioned why his cell´s high security lock suddenly got disengaged, but Dick had trusted in the feeling that Jason would have smelled the trap if he had outright helped him.
What had followed was a merry chase through the shadows of Gotham, keeping Jason only just in his line of sight. Until he slipped into that house.
Dick had told himself he would wait 15 minutes and then investigate.
Another gust of wind bit through his skin.
Well, 12 minutes was as good as 15, seemed like the time was up.
Making it up the fire escape, Dick thought about what he might have to expect.
Jason hadn't smelled mated, but then again the scent of distress and panic could have easily drowned it out, especially because they didn't know what Jason normally smelled like after he had presented.
So, best to get ready to face off against a protective Alpha.
He shimmied the window open, noting in the back of his head that it was easier than expected.
But what if Jason didn't like his alpha? Oh Jesus, he knew nothing about this situation, why was he even here?!
The click of a gun safety getting taken off violently ripped him out of his thoughts.
He had made his way inside what seemed to be a.... fairly normal study? Huh.
Two people were standing across from him. Both reeked of protective Alphas, guns aimed at him, stance ready. Neither of them smelled like Jaosn though. Huh.
Dick scented the air. Wait no. The apartment smelled like Jason. The scent of protection-safe-love-omega sunken into the very walls of it.
"You have five seconds to explain what you think you're doing here before I shoot you dead." One of the Alphas growled.
Dick wrinkled his nose. "Well somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed to- Okay okay! Hold on!" he immediately back paddled as the Alpha aimed at him and growled.
"Please," Dick tried to pump out the smell of curiosity-worry-safe-pack? as he held up his hands in a placating gesture "I'm just here because I'm worried! Hood got a facefull of some new pollen strain and" He faltered, but the other Alphas seemed to listen "And he kept talking about his Pups."
Oops, that was the wrong thing to say.
Dick ducked just in time to not get hit by a bullet, the window behind not being so lucky and shattering on impact.
The goons froze.
Which. What? Dick couldn't help the questioning noise spilling from his lips because why did they freeze? They started this?
He got his answer when the door got tossed open with a bang.
Red Hood stood tall, back lit by whatever light was on in the other room. He was wearing his helmet now, but missing the leather jacket and shoes.
"What," He growled, mechanical filter distorting the word even further "are you doing here?"
It was clear he was talking to Dick, but nevertheless the Alpha who had taken the shot opened her mouth.
Jason held up a hand. "Thanks, Samira, but I'm talking to big bird over there." His voice carried authority and the Alpha slumped but closed her mouth again.
Hood kept his gaze on Dick. He seemed better again, more collected, but Dick could still smell the swirling scents of protect-pups-confusion and the light undercurrent of fear, he saw the taunt way Jason was holding himself, the way he tapped his fingers against his tights.
The pollen was likely still in his system.
Dick took a leap of faith. He purposefully relaxed, letting his hands hang by his side, and broadened his scent, pushing out everything he wanted to say but couldn´t in fear of driving Jason away, of snapping this small sliver of trust that had built between them. All the hope-grief-worry-love that had been buried under years of faded scent and repressed memories.
Jason shivered.
"Hood. I'm sorry." He took a daring step forward. The other Alphas twitched but kept their weapons pointed down. Dick took another breath. "I wanted to make sure you're okay. You were so out of your mind with worry and you were talking about pups! God! Hood! When I last saw you, you were still a pup yourself!" He pressed on, taking another step in the direction of his brother.
"Hood, I just had to make sure you're safe! I don't care that you're a Crime lord, I don't care that you killed people, I couldn't have let you return to a place, to an Alpha, where you had to fear for your pups' safety!"
Time stood still for a moment, the only movement Dick's harsh breaths pumping in and out of his lungs. Then Hood moved, hands coming up and unlatching his helmet.
"Okay." His voice sounded reedy, exhausted, not at all like it had just minutes ago as Red Hood or even earlier that night in the Cave.
Dick couldn't clamp down on his scent of worry fast enough, and Jason seemed to sink into himself even further. Whatever Pollen Ivy had mixed up seemed to have taken its toll on him.
"So you're okay?" Dick dared to ask. He didn't know what would come next, only that, right now, Jason wasn't lashing out at him, was willing to listen.
"Yeah. I'm fine. The pups are fine. They're safe. Here."
He sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as Dick.
Which, yeah which didn't really help.
Jason seemed to have realised the same because he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Okay, listen. I'm as fine as I can be right now." His voice sounded stronger again, decided, almost. "The pups are also as fine as they can be. You can-" He faltered for a moment, and Dick just didn't know what to do, how to help, how to make this all easier.
"Do you want to meet them? They're not all here at the moment, and most of them are sleeping, but... you could. If you wanted."
Dick didn't have to know this new version of his brother to know how much strength it was costing Jason to be this vulnerable. An Omega offering a strange Alpha to meet his pups? It made a tiny spark of hope bloom in Dick's chest.
"Yes." He almost fell over himself in his eagerness to get to Jason. "Yes, I would very much like to meet your puppies! Please."
"Jason."
"Hmm?"
"Jason, there are eight pups in there!"
Jason frowned but nodded. "Yeah, the others aren't here right now." His scent spiked with worry-displeasure and one of the smaller pups in the, admittedly huge ass, nest whined a bit. A swell of love-safe-omega settled them down again, but Jason still pushed Dick away from the door and into the kitchen.
The living room was off limits because three other pups had apparently fallen asleep on the couch. So Dick couldn't meet them, which was more disappointing than he wanted to admit.
In the kitchen, Jason busied himself, pulling out tea and some mugs, avoiding Dick's eyes as he went.
"Jason, Jay. There are twelve pups in here. And you said you have more! Why- How.... they can't really all be yours !"
Jason's head snapped towards him "Shut the fuck up! They're all mine!" He snarled, eyes hard and body tense as if he expected Dick to fight him over that claim. He wouldn't, of course.
"Jason, Jay. I'm sorry that's not what I meant. It's just," He threw his hands in the air, a gesture he definitely got from Tim. "Jason, the oldest pup in there is what, twelve ?? And I know for certain that you didn't have any pups when you were staying with Bruce, so where do they come from?"
"I didn't carry any of them."
"Okay."
"They're still mine. And you can't take them."
"I- yes of course they're yours. I don't want to take them away."
"Good."
"But, Jason. Are you safe? Are they safe? You're a crime lord in Gotham, you're in a gang war with half of Gotham's underworld!" Dick couldn't help but voice his worry.
Fuck, he knew he couldn't do anything against Jason claiming them, and he had to trust that Jason had enough resources to take care of them, but Jason had painted a huge target on his own back when he had entered Gotham like he did. Just because he managed to hold his territory didn't mean that he would be able to keep this safe haven under wraps.
And if someone like Sionis figured out that a big part of Jason's pups spend their nights in this apartment?
Dick shuddered at the thought.
"No you don't have to worry. Almost all of the pups are alley kids, so they know better than to tell around that I claimed them. And the people know what happens if they mess with kids. The building is mine as well and mostly filled with people who are under the Hood or even work for me directly. And you already met Samira and Amin. Their only job is to protect this place."
Jason stirred his tea, apparently lost in thought now that he had said his piece. Dick kind of felt bad about it, but he also knew he wouldn't be able to leave it alone so he decided he'd rather ask now than have the question burning in his mind.
"Can you trust them? As people? And as fighters?" He drummed his fingers against the table. Hardwood, a deep brown but with several grooves that were to be expected with so many children around. His tea sat in front of him, still steaming, smelling like soft jasmine.
Jason raised an eyebrow as he talked but smirked once Dick had rushed out his worries. His eyes seemed to glow as he took on such an innocent look that Dick felt like he'd just walked head first into a situation he would have liked to avoid.
Jason took a sip of his tea, then carefully set it down again, looking straight at Dick.
"Oh I sure hope so. Talia would be terribly disappointed if the bodyguards she gave her son turned out to be getting sloppy after all."