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Jason hadn’t gotten a heat in a long time. He took suppressors now, even if it was “bad for his heart” to take them for years on end without a break. That was just something big pharma made up to trick omegas into going into heat for alphas because the whole industry was sexist and gross.
Unfortunately for him, Poison Ivy’s pollens were stronger than his heat suppressors, but oh well. Say la vee, whatever that meant. He was pretty sure it meant everything sucked and life goes on, but he didn’t know what the Spanish meant.
“Jay?”
He ignored Bruce as he walked down the stairs. Jason wasn’t here for him, this was a means to an end. If Bruce wanted Jason to go to him for snuggles when he was in heat, he should have killed the Joker or at least cut off one or two of his limbs.
There was someone who had severed limbs (and other appendages) when someone hurt or tried to hurt Jason before, and he was going to her.
Jason just needed a ride.
Bruce probably still kept the keys in the same place, so Jason rummaged around in the keys cabinet, but there weren’t any keys. Now all the keys were different kinds of batarangs, and Jason had nicked himself a bunch of times.
How rude. Jason was going to tell on Bruce for this. First, Bruce got a new Robin, then he pretended to care about Jason’s heart??? Heat suppressors his ass—Bruce was trying to scam Jason into cuddles.
Now, Bruce was moving everything around! Oh, she was going to be so mad when he told her about this!
Bruce touched Jason’s shoulder. Jason considered punching him in the face, but then he realized his muscles felt like cooked noodles. His heat must be starting soon, but he already reeked of sugar and vanilla. Bruce probably knew.
“You’re going into heat, Jay.”
Bruce did know. Bastard.
Jason shrugged his shoulder to get Bruce to go away, but Bruce’s hand stuck on him like glue. Jason hissed, more in frustration than an actual attempt to get Bruce to back off.
Bruce released his shoulder and stepped away. Jason blinked in surprise. Maybe he had superpowers now. Huh.
Jason just went looking for the keys again while Bruce went off saying something about a nest.
That sounded nice. Bruce made really good nests that made Jason feel all safe and warm and lov—
Wait, no, Bruce sucked and Jason hated him. He needed to stop forgetting that.
While Bruce was gone, Jason found the keys. The Replacement would’ve probably found them better and faster. The Replacement probably knew where they’d been put in the first place.
Hm…the Replacement.
The Replacement was small and really kind of pathetic—Jason had beat him up really easily. He was also an omega, though, and no one was even teaching him how to nest, and that was mean. The Replacement only had Alfred (the best) and Bruce (the worst). That evened out to be nothing at all.
Except Dick, who was kind of the best, kind of the worst, which still worked out to nothing.
No helping it. The Replacement was just going to have to come too, Jason was just that nice.
The Replacement was watching some nerd show when Jason walked into the family room. He put up a brief struggle, but the second Jason smelled the little baby omega scent, all the strength rushed back to him, his noodle arms cured.
The pup was his.
The Replacement put up a token struggle, or maybe he was actually trying to fight Jason off—that would be pretty sad, because Replacement sucked if that was true. It was one thing to die and get replaced by your own dad—not my dad, just an asshole who kidnapped a vulnerable little baby child—it was one thing to die and get replaced by the asshole who kidnapped you; it was another thing entirely to die and get replaced with someone who couldn’t even fight.
Maybe it had something to do with the cast on the Replacement’s right arm, probably from that fight with Two-Face the other day, but that was still a skill issue.
Jason covered the Replacement’s mouth because he was so whiny. When the Replacement was allowed to speak again, he would be thanking Jason for this.
Jason, now fully equipped with the keys to the Batjet, took a moment to Batcuff the Replacement to the copilot chair. The second he took his hand, the Replacement started rambling, but Jason wasn’t really paying attention, so he just nodded and patted the pup on the top of the head and gave him a little pack scenting because the Replacement didn’t smell like pack.
Another thing for Jason to tattle about.
The plane landed.
Jason yawned and stretched. They must be here now, good. He was getting so tired, and his noodle arms were back.
Hm. There was a pup here too, all glittery and looking up at Jason with wide, scared eyes glazed with the early stages of heat. He must have gotten into one of Poison Ivy’s pollens.
Worse, the pup was handcuffed! And his arm was broken! Who had done such a terrible thing?
Bruce. It was probably Bruce. The cast was that special kind of 3D printed that Bruce used, the kind that could get wet and fit less noticeably under sleeves and gloves.
Luckily, the key to the cuffs was in his pocket. How convenient. Jason would free him from his cruel confines.
The pup flinched when Jason grabbed his hand so he could unlock the cuff.
“What are you going to do to me?” The pup was trying so hard to be brave, but the terror in his scent and the slight shake in his voice gave away how scared he was.
Jason purred and rubbed his cheek over the crown of the pup’s head. Sure, the heat pollen on the pup was getting on Jason too, but it was probably too late to avoid that.
The pollen would trigger an extremely intense heat, probably make it hard to even think straight. Jason needed to get the pup snuggled up into a nice nest before either of them was beyond reason.
Jason swept the pup into his arms, guiding the pup’s face to fall against Jason’s collarbone where he could smell the gentle, comforting scent Jason was projecting.
The pup was lucky, Jason’s mom made the best nests.
Jason pressed the button to lower the ramp, and his face immediately lit up with a grin.
Over the scent of the jet fuel and dust, he caught the scents of cinnamon-alpha.
Jason carried the pup down the ramp, finding a beautiful alpha woman dressed in elegant green silks with a gleaming sword strapped to her side waiting for him. She’d done her makeup all nice, she’d probably thought Bruce was coming too.
“My son,” she greeted.
“Mom.” Jason smiled contentedly.
“Talia al Ghul,” the pup whispered in horror.
Normally, Talia would make the nest with Jason, but this time, she’d shooed him and the pup he’d brought her off to bathe while she built their nest. Apparently, she didn’t want the pollen to get on her fancy blankets.
The League baths were amazing. Normally, Jason would have chased off the attendants who stripped and washed him and the pup, but today, between the comfort of being cared for and the fact that he’d’ve probably fallen asleep and drowned if it weren’t for the help, he could finally see the appeal.
The pup curled up and whimpered every time someone touched him. His fear-scent definitely woke him up. Jason yawned and went over to the pup, taking the sponge from the attendant and washing away all the glitter himself.
“What—what’re you gonna do with me?” the pup mumbled, his voice almost inaudible.
Words were…hard, but the pup needed them. Tears glistened in the pup’s eyes, his breath coming in uneven, trembling pants. Jason could wipe the frightened scent off his skin, but it was immediately replaced with fresh fear.
“Nest,” Jason managed at last.
“And then?”
Jason tilted his head, not understanding the question. The heat was probably affecting the pup’s reasoning, and the stress couldn’t be helping. Poor thing, going into heat so far from home.
Jason squeezed the sponge dry, submerged it in the hot, perfumed water, and washed the glitter and tears from the pup’s little face.
“And then more nest,” Jason told him simply.
Once the pup and Jason were thoroughly cleaned, dried, and clothed in the soft silk pajamas Talia had sent to them, they were led to her chambers. The pup’s spindly little fingers clutched Jason’s shirt, the kid sticking close to Jason as the doors were opened.
“It’s okay,” Jason promised. Words were coming a bit easier now. “It’s Mom.”
“She’s Talia al Ghul,” the pup hissed.
Jason nodded. Yes, most moms had names. Mom was actually just a title. The poor pup was so deep in heat he didn’t even remember that.
Jason led the way inside, the pup reluctantly trailing him. He may have been scared, but at least the pup understood that Jason was pack, and pack was there to protect him. Now he just needed to learn that Talia was pack too.
Talia had outdone herself. The nest was huge and sprawling, beautiful and artistically woven. Sure, Bruce made comfy nests, but Talia’s nests were works of art.
And, she brought snacks. Trays of grapes and that bread stuff he liked and the special chocolate she bought in France and only shared on special occasions. No Alfred cookies, but a different kind of nice.
Best of all, the nest already smelled of Talia.
Talia, and—
Jason grinned when he spotted the scowly little pup tucked in the corner. He hadn’t forgiven Jason for leaving, apparently. Maybe he was just too cool to be friends with Jason now that he was what, nine? His little puppy brother was growing up so fast.
Jason climbed into the nest and pulled his new pup—he probably had a name Jason was forgetting, but Jason was pretty sure he didn’t know it, and frankly it would just be awkward to ask now—into the nest and over toward his other pup.
“Damian!” Jason greeted Damian with a kiss on the top of his head. When Jason went to scent his puppy brother, Damian dodged and rolled away.
“Jason,” Damian said, contempt in his voice but hurt in his scent.
“Dami,” Jason chirped, an omega call to a pup.
Damian ignored him.
That wouldn’t do at all, even a little bit.
Jason pounced, tackling Damian and pinning his arms before Damian could run or grab the knife he kept in his shoe. Damian spat and swore, but Jason didn’t let go till Damian finally tilted his head back in submission and let Jason scent him.
“Ahki, stop!” Damian grumbled, but his scent betrayed that he was happy to see Jason too.
Jason hummed thoughtfully, but he did not stop till he caught the scent of distress and realized his other pup wasn’t in the nest anymore. The pup was trying to open the doors, but they were locked of course. Talia al Ghul’s omega pups and unpresented son? Of course they were being guarded fiercely while they were in such a vulnerable state.
Jason left the nest to go to the other pup. He probably was just looking for his pack, but Talia would be back soon, and then they could all nest together. It would be very nice.
The pup yelped when Jason laid a hand on his shoulder. He cried too, but he let Jason lead him back to the nest where he belonged.
“Good pup,” Jason purred as he prompted the boy to lie down in the middle where Jason could protect him.
“What’s his name?” Damian looked at the new pup skeptically.
“Shhhh, the puppy’s trying to sleep.” Maybe if he got the puppy to sleep, Talia could come back and tell him the pup’s name before anyone found out Jason forgot.
Conveniently, the pup was awake enough to introduce himself.
“I’m Tim.” The pup was staring at Damian, clearly thinking hard.
“I am Damian al Ghul, heir to the demon and the bat,” Damian introduced pompously because he was a little brat.
Tim’s eyes widened. “You’re Bruce’s son?” He whirled on Jason. “Is he Bruce’s son?”
Jason nodded and yawned. It really was time for sleeping now. At first it had been a ploy to save face, but now he really was getting tired.
Would Tim run if Jason fell asleep? Hopefully not, he wasn’t scented by Talia yet. No one would know he was her pup if he didn’t let her scent him, and it just wasn’t safe for him to be running around Nanda Parbat in heat.
Jason would just have to stay awake.
Jason woke to a hand gently shaking his shoulder. He was expecting Talia, but it was Bruce. Huh, weird. Was he mad at Bruce? Probably, but he felt a sudden pang of wanting to be held by his dad.
Jason rolled over and beckoned Bruce into the nest, partially squishing Damian. Hm, the puppy should probably be between them so they could protect him.
“Bruce?” a scared voice squeaked. Tim didn’t sound like he’d been asleep.
“Tim, good.” Bruce breathed a sigh of relief and let Tim scramble into his arms and cry. “You’re okay, you’re okay.”
Bruce arranged himself in the middle so he could hold Jason and Damian on one side and Tim on the other. Talia put herself on Jason’s other side, but he pushed her away and looked pointedly to Tim.
As much as he wanted his mom to pet his hair and scent him, that left Tim, tiny-baby-broken armed Tim on the outside where someone could hurt him. Jason was big and strong, he could protect himself. Talia needed to protect the little baby pup on the other side of Bruce.
“Very well,” she chuckled.
Fear spiked in Tim’s scent, but Bruce shushed him and rubbed circles on his back, covering the pup in calming pack scent.
“It’s okay, Tim. Talia told me you were here, she’s not going to hurt you.”
Tim still watched Talia suspiciously as she slid into the nest and laid down on his other side. They were both all stiff and formal, which just wouldn’t do.
Jason huffed and ran fingers through Damian’s hair, scenting the pup as he did. This was what nesting was supposed to be, and Talia was good at it, so why was she ignoring the helpless little pup beside her?
Talia smirked. “It appears Jason is unsatisfied with our performance,” she told Tim. “May I scent you?”
Tim pressed closer to Bruce and whispered something Jason couldn’t make out.
Bruce nodded.
Tim took a deep, shuddering breath, and whispered with all the enthusiasm of a man signing his own death warrant, “Yes, ma’am.”
Most alphas couldn’t purr, but Talia got pretty close. It was comforting, reminded Jason of Catherine. He laid his head on Bruce’s arm and listened to her purr, watched her card her fingers through Tim’s silky hair and scent him.
After a few minutes, Tim slowly started to relax and Talia seemed a bit less stuffy about it. Good, good.
Jason yawned. His pack, all together. Except Dick and Alfred.
Wait.
Wait.
Jason sat bolt upright and gasped.
Everyone else sat up, alarmed at his sudden outburst, but Jason ignored them. His pack wasn’t all here! This was a disaster!
Jason rolled out of bed, taking Damian with him. He went for the door, then stopped, turned around, grabbed his favorite blanket, and dragged a very sleepy Damian back to the entrance.
Confused, Talia and Bruce followed, Bruce carrying a very sleepy Tim.
Jason led the pack back to the Batplane and ushered them all inside. He got the pilot’s chair all comfy with a blanket and sat down, holding up his arms for Tim. It wasn’t a great nest, but he’d share since Tim was in heat.
Tim yawned and settled back to sleeping, rolling his head so he could breathe in Jason’s scent. Jason purred, what a good pup.
“What is he doing?” Bruce asked.
“He’s your son,” Talia said, shaking her head.
“He’s your too,” Bruce argued.
“He gets this from you.”
“How?”
Jason ignored them and set a course for Gotham.
Time to go home.