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The dining room was quiet but it wasn’t entirely silent. The sounds of cutlery and a couple of instances of sniffing or coughing could be heard as they ate. But no one was speaking. Normally, dinners were the complete opposite. Tim and Damien would bicker until they were separated, Dick would ramble on and on about what had been happening in Bludhaven, Babs would chat with Cass and Duke while Steph stole from people’s plates every now and then to the indignation of whoever she stole from which would then demand reprisal. Bruce didn’t talk a lot normally, happy to just watch his kids as he ate, though it was easy to pull him into conversations. The only times dinners got this quiet was when Jason was visiting, which was usually only once a month when he wanted to see Alfred and Damien.
There had been a few times where they tried to act normal, bringing Bruce and Jason into conversations but it was clear Jason wasn’t very comfortable or used to being in that kind of environment so they ended up stilted at best. The times Bruce tried to start conversations were the worst, they ended up in fights and Jason leaving with shouts. So, they learned to stay quiet, only a few basic questions or updates thrown around. Jason sat silent, hunched over his food a little bit.
When he’d first gotten to the mansion it was worse, he’d have his plate in a tight grip, his arm in front of it to make sure no one could grab it, fully hunched over and shoved the food in as fast as he could. Not to mention the food storage he built in his room, hidden in his secret go-bag. Just in case he ended up on his own and on the street again. His years at the mansion had calmed the habit down but didn’t get rid of it completely. Alfred had tried to change it once, saying that being that hunched over your plate was rude but when he tried to tutor Jason, he’d only ended up with an upset boy. They ended up making a deal that he only had to sit back if they were at a formal dinner, but otherwise, he was free to eat however he wanted.
Bruce clenched his fist and cleared his throat. He wanted to speak, to try again to reach out to his son, outside of the mask, outside of Batman and Red Hood. He wanted to talk to his son as Bruce and Jason. He got a warning look from most of the people at the table, Jason included, but he just needed to try, right? Trying was half the battle or something.
There! Right there!
Bruce blinked as a feminine voice rang out from somewhere. Steph choked slightly as she whipped around to look for the voice, eventually seeming to land on Jason.
Look at that tanned, well-tinted skin!
Look at the killer shape he’s in!
Jason seemed to have a small smile, even as he sighed and started reaching into his pockets, feeling around in them.
Look at that slightly stubbly chin!
The voice hit a peak as she sang a high note. Jason had pulled his phone out by that point and Bruce could just barely see that someone was calling Jason, though he couldn’t see the name.
“ Oh, please, he’s gay.
“ Totally gay! ” Jason sang along, making Bruce’s eyebrows raise and Steph to let out a small disbelieving laugh. Before anyone could say anything, Jason accepted the call and held his phone to his ear.
“What’s up Red,” Jason greeted, grinning. The grin soon fell as he listened to the person on the other end. “Yeah. I can get there in about an hour and a half.”
There was a pause.
“Don’t worry, it’s fine.”
Jason scowled slightly at what the person said, “Of course, it’s in my bike storage. I never go anywhere without it.”
Bruce stiffened.
Jason started to smirk.
“What?” He asked with a false innocence. Jason started to stand, leaving behind his half-finished meal.
His smile only widened at whatever the person was saying.
“Eh, I can just say I found it.” He ruffled Damien’s hair.
“The cops I have on my payroll,” Jason shrugged as he left the room. Bruce bristled as he heard that. The room watched Jason as he left before Steph turned to look at him.
“You’re just letting him go?” Steph asked, incredulous. “You’d never let us do that!”
“He also mentioned something about paying cops,” Tim added.
“Hey, hey, he greeted the person by calling them Red, how likely is it that it’s just Roy asking for help or something?” Dick started, trying to get rid of the suspicion that everyone seemed to be feeling about Jason. “Or, or! It could be Star, or Artemis or any other hero whose name starts with Red.”
“Like me?” Tim deadpanned. Dick winced slightly but nodded.
“He’s bringing his Red Hood gear,” Bruce grunted out.
“Yeah, I didn’t believe me either,” Dick sighed, deflating into his seat.
“Wait, how do you know he’s bringing his gear, he didn’t say anything about it,” Babs wondered.
“He keeps it in his bike storage,” Bruce answered.
“And how do you know that?” Babs pushed.
“It doesn’t matter, we need to follow him,”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, we don’t know who he was talking to or why he needed to leave. We need to know.”
“It could be Roy,” Dick offered weakly, “you know; Speedy, Red Arrow, Arsenal.” Everyone stared at Dick.
“Ok, fine,” he muttered and heaved himself out of his seat. Everyone else followed and they all headed to the cave. They just got to the bottom of the stairs to see Jason speeding off on his bike.
“How many traffic laws do you think he’s going to break?” Dick mumbles.
“He’s on a bike,” Steph deadpans.
“Hey!” Duke called out where he was pulling on his armour.
“Are you saying you follow all the road rules?” Steph teased. Duke stared at her then pulled his helmet on to avoid answering.
The bats and birds found themselves somewhat confused as they saw Jason pull to a stop at a harbour area in a part of New York. It was properly dark by now and they’d soon lost sight of Jason after he got off his bike and walked into the harbour.
“What the hell is he doing in Hell’s Kitchen?” Nightwing questioned.
“How are we supposed to know? We followed him with you,” Red Robin sassed. He got an unimpressed glare from the eldest.
“Come on,” Batman sighed, not focusing on the sibling banter going on behind him. They moved as a group, silently moving through the harbour full of shipping crates and equipment.
A sudden burst of shouts and the rattling of gunfire, both being thinned with sudden stops. The bats and birds recognised the sound of a bust from their own experiences. While Nightwing, Red Robin, Spoiler and Robin made their way to the top of a nearby building, Black Bat and Batman moved through the shadows as Signal covered himself in the shadows around him. They all silently moved closer to the sounds of the fight to get a better viewpoint.
Groups of men were scattered around a clearing, surrounded by walls of shipping containers. There were many that were on the ground, unconscious or writhing in pain. All the men that were still standing were whipping around, looking for something in the dark, panicked and on alert. There was shouting going on between them. They were asking questions about where someone was and who was with him. Questions like ‘is it really him?’ ‘Was it really the Red Hood?’ And ‘Why the hell he was outside of Gotham’.
A clang rang out in an alley, the groups all spun and shot at the noise, shooting at seemingly empty space.
“Now, that’s just a waste of bullets,” a familiar modulated voice drawled out. Three gunshots followed, three men falling in succession.
“Red!” A new voice barked out.
“What?” they could hear the shrug Red Hood was giving the unknown man, though they couldn’t see him. “It was the knees, I know your rules.”
A man, or what appeared to be a man dressed in a red and black costume, dropped down from somewhere above and immediately disarmed and knocked out multiple men with weapons that looked like clubs that were pretty similar to Nightwing’s Escrima sticks. Nightwing was almost offended but found himself hiding a snort when he noticed what looked like horns on the man’s head-helmet thing. Batman didn’t seem amused.
As soon as the man had taken out a handful of men, he disappeared into the darkness once more. The criminals, much more thinned from the man’s attack and Red Hood’s continued long-range support, seemed a lot more haggard and on edge. Batman didn’t know who Red Hood was fighting with and he didn’t like the feeling. He was the World’s Greatest Detective. He should know who that man was as soon as he saw him.
Batman had heard mumbles of a vigilante in Hell’s Kitchen. A vigilante who was brutal, harsh and diligent.
The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.
Daredevil.
“This is bullshit, the Devil doesn’t work with people,” one of the larger criminals grunted out.
“Now that just hurts,” Red Hood’s voice sighed sadly, lacking all sincerity and in his usual dramatic tone. “Now, where is Brian Santanna? No? No volunteer? Come on, I’m not that bad.”
“You’re a fucking coward, hiding in the dark with a gun!” A criminal shouted as he glanced around, gun swinging wildly.
“So, like you?” Red Hood shot that man in the shoulder. “Don’t worry Brian, I won’t hurt you. I just want to have a chat.”
“You’re so dramatic,” a vaguely familiar voice sighed before Daredevil re-entered the fight, immediately taking two men down.
“You love my dramatics, Red!” Red Hood whined before a gunshot rang out and a man that had been behind Daredevil clutched his shoulder as he fell.
“Bit too close Red,” Daredevil sighed.
“I can get closer if you like,” Red Hood teased. Nightwing blinked, that sounded like flirting.
“Bit of help?” Daredevil grunted out, bringing Nightwing back into focus.
“Nah, I think you’re doing fine,” Red Hood offered, another shot going off, stopping another man from joining the fray.
“ Red ,” Daredevil warned, just barely dodging a pipe that was swung at him.
“Yeah, yeah,” Red Hood grumbled. There was only the sound of fighting for a few seconds before the sound of something, someone, heavy landing cut through the air.
“Now, don’t be too mean to my friend, he has a date tomorrow,” Red Hood drawled. He rolled his shoulders slightly as he watched them. Most of the criminals had stopped fighting Daredevil, letting the smaller vigilante retreat.
“Red Hood,” one of the criminals gasped, trembling slightly. Red Hood bowed dramatically, though his eyes never left the group before him.
“The one and only,” the smile could be heard in his voice even through the modulation. “So, how about you guys surrender, let us handcuff you, tie you up, and leave you with a little bow for the cops. Oh, after I chat with Brian of course.”
Someone cocked a gun.
“I guess not,” Red Hood sighed.
He lunged forward and reached the men in a flash, he took a man down immediately with a throat jab, sending him to the ground gasping and grabbing his throat. He took two men down quickly after, giving both hard jabs to the ribs, both men ended up wheezing on the ground.
The bats and birds flinched when a shot was fired, though the bullet only ricocheted off of the iconic red helmet.
“Hello Brian,” Red Hood greeted sinisterly. The man, Brian, started to shake more, to the point he ended up dropping his gun. “Aw, where did all that bravado go? I mean, you did just try to shoot me in the head. You did shoot me in the head.”
The Red Hood stalked after the man even as he shakily backed away. Anyone that tried to join the fight or throw a punch at Red Hood when he seemed distracted was quickly redirected, knocked onto their ass, knocked out or shot.
“Why are you so scared now?” Red Hood asked like he was asking a toddler who misbehaved. “It can’t be because you shot at me. I like that kind of moxie, that bravery. Are you scared because you know what I do to people like you?”
Daredevil had rejoined the fight at some point and was dispatched almost everyone else by that point.
“Red-,” Daredevil started.
“I mean, I’m sure you heard about my Red Code, even all the way up here. Then again, you did it in Gotham. In my territory. I don’t know if that makes you stupidly brave or just downright stupid.”
“ Red ,” Daredevil repeated, his tone sharper.
“Jesus fucking Christ, what ?” Red Hood snapped, whipping around to Daredevil, though he kept one of his guns trained on Brian.
“ My rule ,” Daredevil insisted, “and blasphemy.”
“I don’t give a shit,” Red Hood waved off with his free hand. “And my Code !”
“We had an agreement! And aren’t you also Catholic?” Daredevil asked. Jason let out an exaggerated gasp.
“I’m a lapsed Catholic, thank you very much!” Jason said indignantly.
“Seriously,” Daredevil sighed.
“Oh, so being dead for 4 years and then coming back to life is not a good excuse for lapsing?” Red Hood question, almost sounding actually offended. “Be sides if I can do it what makes Jesus so fucking special?”
“I’m not having this debate with you again,” Daredevil sighed. “You know the rule, no killing while we’re teamed up.”
“This is the fucker Katie told me about!” Red Hood yelled. Just how much did Daredevil know?
“You still can’t kill him,” Daredevil sighed. “Besides, you know how those kinds of people are treated in prison.”
Brian whimpered at that.
“Can I at least shoot his dick off?” Red Hood bargained. Daredevil took a second, studying the man before shrugging.
“As long as you don’t kill him, sure. Crime fitting the punishment and all that,” Daredevil muttered, turning back to the mess of still and writhing bodies of criminals they had stopped. “Got stuff to restrain them?”
“Yep,” Red Hood chirped as he tossed a ziplock bag full of zip-tie handcuffs over. He was already back to staring at Brian so he missed Daredevil fumbling slightly with catching the bag. Daredevil then went about restraining as many people as he could.
“Red Hood,” Batman started, stepping out from the shadows.
“Hey Batsy,” Red Hood greeted flatly. Batman didn’t show his grimace at the shot the younger man delivered to Brian’s groin as he turned to look at Batman. Batman couldn’t help but feel that the timing was intentional, whether or not he knew Batman was there when he did it Batman couldn’t be sure.
“ Red Hood ,” Batman scolded, his eyes narrowing. Either way, this was just another act of petty rebellion from his wayward son that refused to follow orders.
“I knew you were an intrusive bastard but following me all the way here? That’s something else entirely,” Red Hood laughed slightly, humourless.
“We have more company,” Daredevil offered.
“Yeah, no shit,” Red Hood sighed.
“Did you need to shoot that man?” Batman questioned as the rest of the bats and birds stepped out from the shadows to join their mentor.
“Yeah, you do remember my Red Code right?” Red Hood asked sarcastically.
“I’m well aware of it,” Batman grunted out. Batman recalled the times he would see Red Hood ready to kill someone for breaking his ‘Red Code’. He also recalled how his son would never listen when he would try to make him stop. How was Daredevil able to make him reconsider? How was Daredevil able to stop him when Batman couldn’t? When Bruce couldn’t.
Was Daredevil controlling Red Hood? Did he have some kind of blackmail against his son? While Batman was begrudgingly pleased that Daredevil was able to stop Red Hood from killing, he didn’t like the possibility that he was able to do that through blackmail or some form of mind control.
Was Daredevil a danger to Red Hood?
Batman wanted to make Daredevil leave, make the man disappear from their lives. But he couldn’t. They weren’t in Gotham, they weren’t even in the same state. They were in Hell’s Kitchen. They were in Daredevil’s domain. And from what Batman had heard about Daredevil, he typically wasn’t the most pleased if another vigilante or hero started making waves in his territory. Much like Batman himself.
“Red Hood, we should go back to Gotham,” Batman prompted, choosing to ignore Daredevil for now.
“Seriously? I’m not some lost kid or a puppy you can call home whenever you want,” Red Hood hissed, kicking Brian in the head to knock the screaming man out.
“We should go, I’m sure Daredevil wants us out of his city,” Batman pushed.
“Yes, I want you guys out,” Daredevil agreed, walking up to them. “Red’s invited to dinner though.”
“Oh, I can stay?” Red Hood asked, turning to the other red-toned vigilante. He sounded almost surprised but pleased about it.
“ Naturally,” Daredevil said, tossing his head in the way Red Hood did when he was rolling his eyes in the helmet. Then Nightwing spoke up.
“Hood’s only 20!” Nightwing exclaimed, “way too young to be dating someone like you.”
They all could see how Red Hood started to tense up while the helmet blankly stared at the blue vigilante, they got the distinct impression that he was being glared at.
“Right, so a legal adult,” Daredevil retorted dryly, “you know, it seems a bit unhealthy to infantilize your younger sibling this much.”
Batman almost saw red at the comment and he grabbed Red Hood’s shoulder in a flash and dragged him away from Daredevil as fast as he could.
“Mother fucker, what do you think you’re doing?!” Red Hood demanded, fighting against the grip. Both Robins followed as the rest of the bats and birds watched or kept Daredevil from following them. He pulled Red Hood behind a shipping container and levelled a glare at him.
“Just how much have you told him? Does he know who you are under the mask? Can you really trust him like that? You put the rest of us at risk! Do you even know who he is under the mask?” Batman interrogated, his grip tight and unforgiving in Red Hood’s jacket.
“I told him what he needed to know. He knows what I told him. Yes I can. Of course, I wouldn’t and I didn’t ,” Red Hood started, jabbing Batman in the chest. “And yes , I do know who he is under the mask.”
“If Batman doesn’t know who he is under it, how did you figure it out?” Red Robin dismissed.
“Because he told me,” Red Hood hissed glaring at Red Robin, “haven’t you told any of your friends ? Oh wait, you did! Except you lied to them, Alivin Draper. ”
“Red Robin doesn’t need to do anything he doesn’t want to,” Batman snarled.
“Right, I’m just the exception.”
“You’re a crime lord.”
“To control crime. You have to realise that your whole ‘fighting crime’ thing doesn’t work in Crime Alley, what I’m doing works.”
Batman only growled, too resentful to accept that Red Hood was right. There were less deaths, less murders, less child prostitution in Crime Alley since he’d stepped in.
“You stick to your area with your methods, I stick to mine,” Red Hood recited, “that was the deal.”
“You’re not in your territory,” Batman interrupted.
“We’re not in yours either, old man. We’re in Devil’s. Where I was invited and you weren’t.”
“He is an unknown, we cannot trust them. I want you to stay away from him he’s dangerous.”
“Is that a shovel talk?” Daredevil’s voice called out over the general quiet of the harbour. Batman frowned as he let go of Red Hood’s jacket. He leaned over to look at Daredevil, still finding him where he was left. “He knows he's supposed to give the shovel talk to the person that isn't his kid, not his kid. Right? Guess you weren't kidding about him being a shit dad were you Red? And I had Stick for a father figure.”
“I know right,” Red Hood drawled back, “absolute asshole.”
Red Hood pushed away from the wall, shoved past Batman and made his way back to Daredevil and the others.
“Red Hood, I gave you an order,” Batman started but Red Hood spun around, jabbing him in the chest.
“I don’t give a shit. I’m not your soldier, no matter what the stupid plaque says. I don’t have you listen to whatever ‘order’ you give me. You’ve given me a suggestion, I’m choosing to ignore it.” Red Hood announced. “You don’t get to tell me what to do. I haven’t been your problem since I left. Since I died. Since you gave up on me.” Red Hood pushed through the rest of the bats and birds, putting him at Daredevil’s side.
“We’re just trying to look out for you Hood,” Nightwing insisted, “we want what’s best for you.”
“It feels more like they’re trying to police him,” Spoiler mumbled to Signal, getting a small nod in response. They both noticed the attention they’d gotten and both started to stare off into space. Batman and Nightwing stared at them.
“It’s getting kind of late, don’t you think?” Daredevil said, bringing their attention back to him. “Might be better for you to spend the night. You said you’re going to Star after this right? See the husband and daughter?”
“He’s not my husband!” Red Hood denied though it sounded almost like a shriek. Like he was embarrassed. “We aren’t even engaged! We’re not even- why do you- it’s only been- what the fuck are you even on about!”
Daredevil laughed.
Batman clenched his fist. What the hell was Daredevil talking about? A relationship? A daughter? How did Daredevil know about it when Batman didn’t? Was Batman, Bruce, so disconnected and removed from Red- Jason’s life that he didn’t even know what was happening in it?
How was he losing his son?
He knew he had made mistakes, that was how he lost Jason the first time. He’d made a mistake with how he dealt with his thoughts about Jason being too violent as Robin. He’d made a mistake leaving him behind in Ethiopia. Both of those mistakes lead to Jason’s death.
He knew his reaction to Jason’s return was a mess, that’s not even talking about what happened in the apartment where Jason organised their confrontation. He knew he was harsh about Jason’s ‘Red Code’ but killing was just too far.
Bruce knew he had made mistakes.
Were they so harsh that he’d lost his son?
How did a stranger know his son better than he did?
“What are you talking about?” Nightwing pushed, ignoring how Red Hood was lightly punching Daredevil, something Red Hood never felt comfortable doing to him.
“You know, his boyfriend. What's he called, Arsenal? He came for dinner once, adorable daughter. That's why Red's last name is Harper, isn't it?” Daredevil insisted. Batman could tell there was a bit more force behind Daredevil’s voice. He was trying to get a rise out of them.
It worked.
“Arsenal?” Nightwing asked, incredulous. “You have to be messing with us. My best friend?!”
Nightwing had spun to look at Red Hood.
“Oh, please. He hasn’t been your best friend in years, Wally took that place forever ago,” Red Hood sighed, Batman could see Red Hood closing off again.
How was Daredevil able to get him to relax, to open up and be comfortable with him?
Daredevil had the same rule as him, why was Daredevil more able to make Red Hood listen to him and to follow his rule.
“What do you want for dinner, Red? I might have to make a call,” Daredevil started, pulling out what looked like a phone.
“Hey, no,” Nightwing started, interrupting Daredevil, “he’s coming home with us!”
“I’m not. Like I said, I’m an adult. I can do whatever the fuck I want,” Red Hood cut Nightwing off, “I’m going to be having a nice dinner, with friends and people I can actually talk to and who actually want to talk to me.”
Red Hood turned back to Daredevil, throwing his arm over the other man’s shoulder and pulling him past the bats and birds.
“I brought my bike if you’re willing to backpack,” Red Hood offered. Before Daredevil could respond, Red Hood turned to look back at them. “You guys might want to run, the police are gonna be here soon.”
Batman could only watch as Red Hood, his son , as Jason , walked away. Not even glancing back at the family he was leaving behind.