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Chapter Text

Jason’s been staying on the tower for a few days and it’s certainly been an experience. The Avengers weren’t what he expected them to be. At all. 

They haven’t used his stupid little breakdown against him once! If he was with the bats, Damian would have reminded him over and over again about how he cried over eggs. Eggs. 

How fucking pathetic was he? 

And to add to the humiliation, Jason passes out. In front of Bucky Barnes. 

In front of the fucking Winter Soldier. 

The memory makes him want to bury his face in his hands and die all over again. A once in a lifetime opportunity to make a good impression on the soldier and Jason fucking blows it by passing out. 

He wants to cry. 

And Jason knows that he shouldn’t dwell on that one impression. Especially cause he’d made worst. 

Hell, Jason literally stole Batman’s tires and hit him with a tire iron and the man still adopted him. And one could argue that the adoption brought more problems than it should’ve. But the point still stands.

Although, his brain whispers. All slimy and slithery, Batman isn’t the Winter soldier. He’s not Bucky Barnes. And everyone knows that Bucky Barnes is so much cooler than Bruce Wayne. 

He groans. Jason was so fucked. How was he ever going to recover? 

The answer to that came easily to his head. Jason's not going to recover. So, he’s going to spend the rest of his time at the tower avoiding Barnes. 

How hard can it be? Right?

It doesn’t matter where Bucky looks. He can’t find the kid with the stupid white streak and insane fighting skills anywhere. All he wants to do is make sure he’s okay. 

He doesn’t know how the kids doing it. Jason, that’s what everyone calls him. Tony, Steve, Clint, and Natasha have all talked to him and they all immediately liked him. 

Tony and Clint were fighting for adoption rights. Steve hasn’t even argued against adopting said kid. And Natasha has this obsession with finding out as many things about Jason as possible. 

His teammates were creeps, and he hopes that they don’t drive Jason away before Bucky gets to properly meet him.

FRIDAY informed him that Jason was in the kitchen, cooking himself breakfast. And Bucky was hungry! So if he heads up to the kitchen, hoping that he’ll run into the kid, then that’s nothing but a coincidence.

A good coincidence. 

A coincidence that didn’t even happen because the moment he stepped out of the elevator, there was no one in sight.

Bucky‘s face dropped. There was nothing here but a stupid plate of pancakes on the table. 

An empty table. 

Bucky doesn’t even think before he starts heading in that direction. The pancakes were obviously just freshly made. And whoever cooked it put a lot of time into its creation. Because they were good. Hell, they’re probably the best pancakes he’s ever had in his life and Buckys lived a long life. 

Kind of. 

He doesn’t know if being frozen counts as him actually living but the shoe fits. 

Now, Bucky couldn’t help but wonder who made the pancakes. He knows that Steve can’t cook anything but scrambled eggs. And even then, there was a 50% chance that they were burned. Tony can not make anything edible other than coffee. Clint is Clint. And Natasha is a decent cook but she never shares. And she would never leave a stack of the best pancakes to ever exist out in the open like this.

So there was only one logical choice. It was the kid. Jason whatever his last name was. 

If Bucky didn’t want to find him before, then he sure wanted to find him now. The kid could cook! The avengers might finally be able to eat something edible that was homemade and not take out. 

He couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across his face. 

Let the chase begin. 

Jason was hiding in the pantry.  

For once in his life, he thinks he’s overestimated his capabilities. He just finished cooking when FRIDAY warned him that the Winter Soldier was heading to the kitchen.

Luckily, the pancakes were ready and Jason turned the stove off beforehand because the moment he heard the elevator ding, he ran to the nearest door. Jason opened it up a few inches so it wasn't suspicious while successfully staying in the man's blind spot.

He watches as Barnes’s face falls before he sees the pancakes. He heads towards them looking around the room in caution before shoving a giant slice in his mouth.
 
Jason could do nothing but stare as his pancakes disappeared. At least the Winter soldier thought they were good. Jason can always make another batch. 

All he had to do was patiently wait until Bucky left the kitchen. 

Chapter Text

Steve took in the sight in front of him. Jason's been staring at the laptop Tony's given him for a few minutes now. He's not sure if the tower's newest addition has even blinked.

The kid was seated at the table, surrounded by papers filled with scribbles. Steve's eyes were full of concern as he walked toward the vigilante.

"Whatchu' working on?" He asked, flopping himself on the chair next to Jason. "Is it homework?"

"What the-" His head whirled to Steve, eyes shocked. "When did- How did you-?"

Steve tilted his head, ignoring the flurry of uncompleted questions. He repeated himself, "What are you working on?"

"Oh," Jason's face flushed, as his hand gestured at the table. "Uhm- I just." His arms dropped and Jason sighed. "I didn't mean to interfere or cross any lines." Jason said that sentence with practiced ease. It sounded rehearsed. The kid wouldn't meet Steve's eyes. "I'm sorry. It won't hap-"

"Jason," Steve cut him off before he could ramble any further.

Jason tightened his fists, fingernails almost piercing through his skin as he braced himself. He was about to get kicked out. It hasn't even been a month. It's only been two weeks. And as much as he wants to say that that's a new record-

It's not.

"Calm down." Steve snapped him out of his thoughts once more. He felt a gentle grip on his shoulder and Jason finally found the courage to look up.

The man was smiling at him. And it wasn't full of malice or disgust. Instead, it was filled with warmth and affection. And it was directed toward him.

He wants to look behind his shoulder to make sure Steve wasn't making a mistake. Because why?

Why is Steve Rogers-

Why is Captain America looking at him like he cared?

Oblivious to his thoughts, the Avenger kept talking. "I just wanted to know what you were working on. You must'a been so focused you didn't hear me approachin'."

That shouldn't be possible. Jason wanted to say.

Because it was true.

It shouldn't be possible. It doesn't matter who it is or what they are. It could be a super soldier or it could be Cass. Either way, Jason's training allowed him to immediately recognize any new presence that entered the same room as him.

So how did Steve-

He forced himself out of his thoughts. "Yeah, you're probably right." He lied. Jason could dwell on this dilemma later. Right now, his top priority is figuring out why Steve approached him (and why he was smiling at Jason like that). "Guess I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts to sense ya'."

Steve scrunched his eyebrows. The man was worried. About him. What has Jason's life come to? Captain America was worried about him.

Him.

"Speakin' of thoughts," Steve started, eyes roaming around the table. "What type of homework are you workin' on? You've been staring at that screen for so long. That can't be healthy for your eyes."

Jason doesn't know how to reply to that and luckily. He didn't have to. Steve just kept talking.

" Y'know, if you need help, you can ask Tony? He's really good at that type of stuff. Doesn't matter what subject. Plus, he's been wanting to spend more time with ya'." Steve sheepishly said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "We all have."

He stared at Jason like he didn't just shatter his entire mind.

What the fuck.

The man's face fell, looking like a sad golden retriever, "Was that too much?" Steve sounded so goddamn sad, "Everyone always tells me that I have to tone it down sometimes." He looked at Jason with so much intensity that Jason had to look away. "Especially when I care about that person."

"Steve-" It was Jason's turn to cut the other off. "Don't worry. You weren't overbearing," He sent the avenger a grin that he hoped looked more confident than he felt. "I was just surprised."

"Makes sense." Steve nodded at his answer, "Guess everything would be surprising right now. Especially since Tony adopted ya' and stuff."

Jason blinked. "Sure," He just smiled and nodded his head, unsure of how to proceed next.

Maybe Steve was sick? It would explain why he was acting so weird. He should ask FRIDAY. The guy should be in bed resting. Accelerated healing or not.

"Sooo," the super soldier said, back to his regular self. "Can ya' tell me what you're workin' on now? I'm not as smart as Tony but I'm no idiot."

"Oh- uh." Jason's eyes darted around the room, looking for a way to escape. When he found none, he stared at the pieces of paper in front of him. "It's not technically homework."

Jason hoped he could stop there but Steve motioned for him to continue. However, before he could say another word, the elevator door rang and Tony Stark walked into the room.

"Are you guys having a family meeting without me?" Tony drawled, immediately taking a seat next to Steve, squinting his eyes at the man. "I'm hurt."

"We weren't-" the kid sputtered, turning red when he realized that Tony was joking. "It's not- this isn't a family meeting." He finished lamely.

Tony grinned, "So what are you guys talking about?"

Jason said, "Nothing." at the same time Steve said, "Homework."

Tony let out a squawk of surprise, "Homework? You're talking to Steve about homework?" He glared at his teammate, "Homework is my thing," he hissed at the man. "You know that."

Steve held his hand in surrender, "Jason was having a hard time with it." He defended, "Ya' shoulda' seen him, starin' at the screen like it was the only thing in front of 'im."

Tony crossed his arms, "You still should've told me." He turned to look at Jason, calming himself down. "So what were you having trouble with?" He asked.

Jason doesn't answer, staring at them in shock. "What the fuck." The kid whispered to himself, finally voicing his thoughts out loud. "What the actual fuck."

"Language."

Tony rolled his eyes, "The kid's like seventeen. He's allowed to say the f-word."

"I'm nineteen!"

Jason was ignored. "Seventeen has the word teen in it." Steve argued, "He's still a kid."

"He's a teenager."

"That's still a kid."

Jason cut in, "The kid is right here. And he's nineteen, thank you very much.

"Uh-huh," Tony gave Jason an unamused look, "Sure."

The kid slouched down onto his chair, pouting.

How adorable.

"Now," Tony started. Wanting to bring everyone back to the topic that started all of this. "What's your homework about?"

"It's not homework," Jason mumbled, lips turned into a frown.

"What is it then?" Tony questioned.

"I was just doing some research. I wanted to confirm something."

Talk about giving Tony nothing to work with. Does he have to do everything around here?

"What's the research about?" He prodded.

Jason paused, eyes widened and full of anxiety. "Well-" He started before pausing, nervously looking from Steve to Tony and back to Steve again. The man sent him an encouraging smile, "I just- the homeless rates in New York are high. And I noticed that they're just continuing to skyrocket. Really fast. So unless something changes, then things are about to be ugly." Jason waved to the mess at the table and when the two avengers stayed silent, he shrugged "I was just tryin' to come up with some solutions. That's all."

It was too quiet.

Steve and Tony were just staring at him with their mouths wide open.

He didn't know if he did anything wrong, but just in case, he apologized again. "Look, if you don't want me to continue, just say the word and I'll stop."

Tony shook his head, "Don't stop." The man said, still in shock. "This is- I just didn't expect this. No one ever cares about the homeless."

Trust me, Jason thought, he knows.

Steve sent him another blinding smile, "You're amazing." He ruffled Jason's dark hair and Jason swears that he didn't lean in. "Practically a genius."

Jason felt his face heating up, "I'm no genius." He denied. "M' just trying to help. That's all. Plus, you can't exactly say that. You haven't even seen my ideas yet."

"I'm seeing them now and I agree with Steve." Tony was holding a handful of Jason's notes, "You're a genius. And I don't just mean that as an expression," the billionaire looked at Jason earnestly, filled with awe. "You're about to change New York for the better."

Jason's face freezes before hope begins to seep through. "You think they'll work?"

Tony smirked, wicked and sharp. "I know they will." His expression grew gentle when he meets the kid's eye, "Just tell me when you want to get this project underway and I'll take care of it." He promised.

"This isn't just something you can immediately start though," Jason protested. He's thought about it a lot. The plans wouldn't just work for New York, they would also work for Crime Alley. "There's a lot of factors that go into it. For example, the politicians- they have to agree and..."

"And they're politicians." Steven finished for the vigilante, knowing exactly what he meant.

"I get where you guys are coming from," Tony said. "But you haven't considered this possibility." The two of them tilted their heads in sync. "I'm Tony fucking Stark. The head of Stark Industries and a ton of other stuff. If I want something to happen, I'll make it fucking happen."

Plans and contingencies were already being made in his head. Not only will these give people lots of relief, but they'll also help the economy with the influx of jobs and all that jazz.

How did Tony not think of these sooner?

And to make matters even better, this gives Tony a chance to hang out with Jason even more. It would also give him the opportunity to introduce Peter to his newest brother.

Tony's smile brightened, what were the chances that all the kids he's adopted ended up being adorable and competent geniuses?

Chapter Text

Peter was more excited to get to the tower than usual. Which was something that he never thought could happen.

He loved the tower. It was his getaway from reality. Mr. Stark could hold him captive and Peter would never complain.

The only thing better than the tower was the people living in it. Meaning, the Avengers. Never in his life did Peter think he would be this lucky.

Especially because it seemed like they tolerated him. They treated Peter like he was one of them.

It was nice. Peter could admit, to feel like he belonged somewhere.

"You're going to love him." Mr. Stark promised a wide smile stretched on his face. The man still had his sunglasses on but if he took them off, Peter knew that they would be sparkling with joy and excitement.

This was how Mr. start usually acted when he was in the lab with Peter. The man was so happy.

And it was all because of the newest person living in the tower.

He still didn't know the mystery man's name. Mr. Stark never mentioned it. Peter wouldn't be surprised if it slipped his mind. Just like Peter, Mr. Stark talked fast. Every word coming out of his mouth was praise about the guy. It made him sound so cool.

Peter couldn't wait to meet him.

He blinked before turning his head to look at his mentor questioningly.

Mr. Stark rubbed the back of his neck, "He's been working hard these past few days." He said fondly, "I should've expected him to be beat."

Peter processed the image in front of him.

There was a muscular guy who looked two- maybe three?- years older than him passed out on the kitchen table. He had dark curly hair that had a streak of white. Peter wondered if that was a new trend. And, even if it wasn't, the guy pulled it off. The surface of the table had papers littered all around it.

Peter tried to read the words on the paper, but a majority was scribbled out. He internally groaned. He wanted to know what the teen was researching.

"Jason's been working on finalizing a project for Stark Industries. He came up with it himself, and when we presented it to the board, they loved it." Mr. Stark smirked, "Once this project is finalized so many lives will be helped."

"What sort of project is it?" Peter asked, wanting to know more. His brain was running through a million possibilities.

The project had to be good. Better than good! Especially if Mr. Stark was letting a teenager work with SI to finalize it. Peter needed to know what it was.

But Mr. Stark didn't say a word to answer his question. Instead, the man looked right past him. "Why don't you ask Jason yourself?"

The room was silent for a few seconds. Peter turned to the table just in time to see Jason open one eye, revealing pretty blue-green eyes.

Jason sighed, straightening up as he stretched his arms. "How long have you known?"

"From the moment you woke up."

The teen frowned, scrunching his eyebrows. "I must be losing my touch."

Now that Jason was sitting up, Peter realized how tall he was. He had to be at least 6'2.

Peter pouted. That was so unfair. How can Jason be 6'2, muscular, and smart? Before he could stop himself, Peter blurted out "How old are you?"

Jason and Mr. Stark stared at him before glancing at each other.

"I'm nineteen."

"He's seventeen."

The voices contradicted each other. Sparks flew as Mr. Stark and Jason glared at each other.

"Look at me!" Jason gestured to himself, "What sort of seventeen-year-old has a body like this?" He turned to Peter, "I'm 200 pounds of muscle." He informed, "How many seventeen years old do you know that have the same body type as me?"

Jason looked at him so expectantly that Peter felt bad for crushing his hopes. "A majority of my school's football team, actually." Peter admitted, "You guys have similar body structure."

Jason's jaw dropped as Mr. Stark cackled. "Se-ven-teen." His mentor teased, stretching out each syllable. "Why don't you just admit it?"

"Because I'm not seventeen."

Peter concluded that Jason was lying. Maybe he was scared that people would view him differently if they realized how young he was. Peter knew how that felt.

"The Avengers-" Peter suddenly said, "Mr. Stark especially! They won't look down on you for being younger." Jason's gaze softened before he turned away, causing Peter to falter, "I hope you know that..." His voice awkwardly trailed off.

Once again, silence engulfed the air and Peter was scared that he ruined everything. Did he make things weird? He gave Mr. Stark a wide-eyed look, asking for help and his mentor gave him a small smile of amusement.

"So Jason," Mr. Stark drawled. "During your attempt to eavesdrop on us, I'm sure you heard that Peter over here, wanted to learn more about your project."

That was not the type of help he meant.

Peter felt his cheeks heat up when Jason eyes him. What if the teen thought Peter shouldn't know about it? What if Peter was too stupid to understand the project? What if Jason decided that Peter wasn't cool enough to know about the project?

Questions continued to flow through his head, each one slowly becoming worse than the last.

"I'm sorry!" Peter exclaimed as quickly as he could. "Youdon'thavetotellmeanything.  It'sokayifyouwanttokeepittopsecret.A-okay,even.whatevertheprojectisi'msureit'samazing."

"It's okay, kid." Peter looked up and saw that Jason was facing him again. His eyes filled with amusement. "Trust me, this project isn't as amazing as you think it."

Mr. Stark snorted, "Sure it isn't."

Jason gracefully ignored Tony as he grabbed Peter's hand, leading him to the table. Mini-Stark stayed still, making Jason sigh. "You're allowed to touch the papers, y'know."

Peter's face brightened as he snatched a piece of paper near him. Jason couldn't help the small smile that made its way onto his face.

A few minutes later, Peter set the paper down. His eyes were wet and Jason immediately turned to Tony for help.

The man only raised an eyebrow.

Jason glared at him, taking the hint that the man wasn't going to do anything.

Peter was wiping tears away from his cheeks as he looked at Jason with so much amazement that it made him freeze. "You're coming up with a relief program?" Jason slowly nodded, unsure where this was going. "And this program it's... it's going to be directed to people who have been struck down due to poverty." Peter's voice was full of disbelief. As if he wasn't sure if this was reality.

Jason nodded again and the next thing he knows, arms were wrapped around his waist.

"Thank you. Thank you." Peter repeated. "Thank you."

Jason hesitantly returned Peter's hug. "Of course." He replied, "Someone's got to look out for them."

Peter sniffled, his face buried in Jason's shirt, "But no one's ever looked out for us before."

Jason glared at the floor. "Then I guess I'll be the first."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Tony smile.

Operation Peter meets Jason was a success!

It was a lot more tearful than Tony thought it would be, but it worked.

He watched the two high schoolers talking about the program. Jason explained each component, and Peter nodded along excitedly, asking a flurry of questions.

He knew they would get along.

It was impossible not to like Jason once you got to know him and Peter-

Well, Peter was Peter.

The kid was too endearing.

Hours passed and soon, it was time for Peter to go.

Peter pouted when Tony told him. "Two more hours, Mr. Stark." Peter pleaded, "Pleaseeee."

"For the last time kid, call me Tony. And you said that three hours ago." He massaged his temples, "Your aunt is going to kill me. It's way past your bedtime."

"But I wanna stay with Jason."

"You'll see him tomorrow." Tony began to realize that maybe introducing the two was a bad idea. "What about the two of you exchange numbers so you can stay in contact."

Peter rushed to do exactly that.

"No."

"But you didn't even know what I was going to say!"

"I don't care. The answers still no."

"But-"

"No."

Tony stared expectantly at him until he heard the "Awwww." signaling the kid's defeat. Peterquickly hugged Jason. "I'll text you." he informed.

"Bye Peter," Jason nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow."

When the kid was gone, Tony looked at Jason. "So..." he started.

"Sooo..." Jason copied, looking confused.

Tony decided to bite the bullet. "Why do you care so much about this?" Tony paused, then backtracked. "I sound like a bitch. Let me rephrase that."

Jason let out a laugh. "No ,you're fine. I know what you mean."

The silence swelled between them. It was comfortable. Something that surprised Jason.

Whenever he was with the Bats and it became quiet, Jason knew it was going to go horribly. It didn't matter how their relationship was at that moment. Either way, things went to shit.

It was why Dick tried so hard to keep everyone engaged in a conversation. Or why he tended to talk a lot.

Jason sighed, flopping his head on the soft cushion of the couch. If there was anything he learned these past few weeks, it was that the Avengers were nothing like the Bats.

"I grew up in Crime Alley." Jason started, facing Tony. "It wasn't that bad at first. I had a roof over my head. Sometimes there was food on the table. The normal stuff, y'know." Jason's voice hitched, "It- it all went downhill when my mom died." His eyes lowered to his fists. "I was forced to live on the streets. And if I'm being honest, I don't know... I don't know how I survived." Jason paused. He could feel tears threatening to fall. "It was so hard."

So hard.

Jasons never admitted that to anyone. Not to the Bats. And not even to himself. And for some reason, that's how the barrier broke.

The memories were all flooding back and tears were streaming down his cheeks. "It was so hard." He repeated, giving his brain another chance to finally accept the truth."The things I've had to do. The things I had to put up with."

He could feel it all again. The unwanted hands. The taste of the food. He remembered how he shut his eyes before he took a bite. So he didn't have to see how disgusting and un-consumable it looked.

Tony's arms wrapped around him causing Jason to sob even more. That's the third time someone hugged him today. Without realizing it, he leaned into the hug.

Somehow, Jason ended up in Tony's lap.

For a split second, Tony remembered how he used to be in the kid's position, crying and defeated while his mom ran his hands through his hair and hummed a comforting lullaby.

Without realizing it, Tony did the same. He scratched Jason's head, not stopping even after the sobs faded.

"I think your towers cursed." Jason muttered, "I think I've cried more here than I have the past year."

"Maybe that's a good thing," Tony managed to say. "Holding in your emotions. That's not healthy."

"Don't think ya' can talk, Iron Man." Jason accused. "I've seen your in'erviews."

Tony couldn't help but crack a smile. "Yeah, you're right." He admitted, "Guess that's something we both have to work on."

Jason doesn't respond and Tony was fine with that.

Soon enough, a familiar lullaby filled the air.

Chapter Text

It was time for the Avenger's monthly party.

Well-

Party was sort of an overstatement but po-tay-toh po-tah-toh. Who cares if it was an exaggeration, Clint definitely didn't.

All he cared about was the whole "team" getting together. He couldn't wait to watch them embarrass themselves in karaoke.

Clint loved the Avenger Tower impromptu karaoke nights even more than the media did. Which is pretty impressive considering that every single video that's been posted has gone viral.

Every.

Single.

One.

Clint's not kidding.

The team has bets on whose video will get the most views, likes, and comments.

It was fun.

It also did wonders for their public image. The videos made the Avengers seem... normal. Made them look more human than heroes. That even though they saved the world a few times, they still had flaws.

Which was, aka, the fact that none of them could sing.

Clint would've been more embarrassed but worst videos could've gone viral so no one will catch him ever complaining about it.

The elevator door opened and Clint's eyes immediately zeroed in on Jason. He wasn't surprised to see the kid there. The kitchen was practically his territory now. If he wasn't in the library, he was either cooking or on the table studying.

Talk about dedication.

Jason was staring at the laptop set on the table. His shoulders were hunched as he continuously scrolled down. Clint watched as Jason squinted, clicked something, frowned, and then slammed his head on the table.

Clint blinked once. Then twice. And the next thing he knew, he was carrying Jason's laptop, holding it away from his reach.

"You're grounded." He informed the kid. "You're not allowed to do any homework-y stuff til tomorrow."

Jason narrowed his eyes, "You can't ground me."

"You're underaged and I'm technically your guardian while you're living in the tower 'cause you know, I'm the one that brought you here. So yes, actually. I can ground you."

"But the sooner I finish that the sooner people can be helped," Jason complained, lips forming into a pout.

It was adorable.

"You look like you're about to pass out at any second. You're not going to be helping anyone in this state. Plus," Clint's voice softened. "It's okay for you to take a break. The work you're doing is amazing and I can't wait to see the policies you've come up with planted but- You. Come. First." Jason's eyes widened. "I care about those people, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't have become Hawkeye if I didn't. But I care about you more." Clint stared into Jason's eyes, "Do you understand?"

The kid nodded and Clint smiled, "Good. Now get some rest before everyone arrives." Clint made shooing motions with his free hand.

Jason stayed frozen for a couple of seconds before he rolled his eyes, "Sure, Dad. Whatever you say."

ROUND COMPLETED! The speakers boomed.

Jason's chest was heaving due to the sheer intensity of the previous fight. Tony wasn't kidding when he mentioned that he increased the difficulty after Jason completed the prototype.

Jason loved it.

It's been so long since he's been able to test his skills without worrying about his opponent. Hell, Jason can feel himself improving.

Improving!

That hasn't happened since he was with Talia two- maybe three years ago. He didn't know the exact amount of time he was under her care. His timelines have been messed up since the pit.

In the privacy of his mind, Jason could admit that maybe Tony was right. Maybe Jason wasn't as old as he thought he was.

He never really thought about it before. Talia never mentioned how long he was catatonic and Bruce doesn't like to talk about Jason's death and he hates any mention of his resurrection even more so it's not like he can ask him for advice.

And even if Bruce didn't care about talking about those topics, Jason wouldn't have been able to approach him anyways. He couldn't even talk to Bruce after patrol. How was he supposed to ask the man about his actual age?

Hell, he's pretty sure Bruce doesn't even consider Jason as his son anymore.

He groaned and sank to the floor. Sometimes, he thought that he never should've been brought back to life. It would've been easier for everyone.

He could think of a hundred other people that deserved the second chance that Jason got. They probably wouldn't have fucked things up with their supposed family.

Jason ran a hand through his hair. Maybe Clint was right. He probably should've gotten sleep instead of completing another round.

But to be fair, Jason was horrified when his words sank in after he talked to Clint.

Sure, Dad. Whatever you say.

The words kept replaying in his mind and he needed to forget that whole interaction. So Jason headed to the training room.

Fighting usually made him feel better.

But this time, it didn't. After everything, the events of the day remained in his head.

He missed when he could just brush things off and move on. There was no way this whole tower wasn't cursed. Why else would Jason be feeling this way if it wasn't? Jason never thought about his emotions with this much depth until he arrived here.

This place is so fucking weird.

"Have you guys seen Jason?" Tony asked Steve and Bucky. "Everyone else is here. He's the only one missing."

Steve frowned, "Is he not in his room?"

Tony shook his head and turned to Bucky. "Have you seen him?"

Bucky narrowed his eyes and scowled. "I haven't seen him since that day he passed out when he was doin' your training hologram."

"Bucky, that was a month ago."

"Trust me, I know." Bucky glowered at the floor, "No matter how hard I look, I can never find 'im. Even Peter met him before me."

Steve patted Bucky's back comfortingly, "Don't worry, Buck. I'm sure you'll meet the kid today."

Bucky didn't believe him but he nodded nonetheless.

Tony turned away from the two, his eyes scanning the crowd. There was still no sign of an oversized teenager anywhere.

Someone handed him a drink and Tony mumbled "thanks" before chugging it. He turned to the blonde beside him, immediately noticing the shit-eating smirk that engulfed his face.

Oh no.

"So," Clint started. "Guess what happened earlier." The piece of shit didn't even wait for Tony to respond before he continued. "Jason" Clint stretched out each syllable "called me his dad."

"You're lying." Tony accused, poking him in his shoulder for each word. "You're. A. Liar."

"Ask FRIDAY."

Tony did.

FRIDAY played the interaction on the TV in the middle of the room. Tony was focused and a scowl immediately formed on his face when he heard Jason sarcastically say the word.

He glared at Clint. "Fine," He said. "I'll just be his favorite, instead."

"I was literally in the kitchen a few minutes before Clint arrived." He heard Bucky complain, "How come I didn't see him?"

Tony and Clint looked at each other and shrugged.

"Wait, hold up." Sam suddenly exclaimed, "Who is that?"

Tony stared at Sam like he was an idiot. "That's Jason."

"And who exactly is Jason?" Sam looked at Tony, then Clint. And then he glanced at Steve. He brought his hand to his face. "You're kidding."

"What?"

"I thought we talked about not adopting anyone before we consulted the team." Sam narrowed his eyes, "You know that was your idea right?"

Steve rubbed his neck, "To be fair." he started, "The adoptions not technically official."

Sam just rolled his eyes, "You're so whipped."

Before Tony could ask Sam what he meant by that, the elevator bell dinged.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Jason walked out the doors and when he registered that everyone was staring at him, he tilted his head. "Who are-"

The kid didn't even get a chance to finish his sentence because Peter, Pietro, and Wanda immediately surrounded him. Peter introduced Jason to the two mutants.

Jason kept nodding as Peter continued but he looked so confused that Tony felt bad. So because he was determined to win the title of "Jason's best dad" over Clint, he dragged Jason away and forced him to sit on the couch.

Tony held out his hand and someone handed him a mic. He gave it to Jason. "Because you were the last one to arrive, you're going to start karaoke night."

Jason blinked, "I'm sorry- what?"

"You. Late. Mic. Karaoke."

"You want me to sing?" Jason asked. "Why?"

"Because you were late."

Jason scrunched his eyebrows and saw everyone staring at him expectantly. "You're not joking." He realized. "You guys want me to sing."

There was no way Jason could get out of this.

"Yes." Tony confirmed, "Now, tell me what song you want before I decide for you."

"I don't care," Jason glared at the floor. "Just pick a random song from the early 2000s and I'll sing it."

A familiar tune filled the air and everyone cheered while Jason turned red.

This was his first time meeting half of these people and their first impression of Jason was about to be him embarrassing himself by singing Baby by Justin Bieber in front of everyone.

Jason's stood up, lifting the mic closer to his mouth. He'd take Bruce's ire over this any day.

The room quieted down when Jason sang the first lyric. From the corner of his eye, he saw Tony's mouth drop in shock. He tried to ignore the growing pit in his stomach. Did he sound that bad?

Jason kept singing, walking around the room to try and calm his nerves. Luckily, it didn't take him long before he began to feel the music.

Jason felt his body dancing along to the beat and when Ludacris's verse came along, he held the mic out in front of Peter, looking at him eagerly.

Peter got the hint and started rapping while Jason mouthed the lyrics to himself. He couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face.

Jason never realized how much he missed singing til' he sang the last lyric.

As soon as the beats faded, marking the end of the song, everyone loudly cheered and clapped. Jason felt his body heat up as he awkwardly stood there. What does he do now?

"You never told me you could sing!" Tony's voice filled the air, lips forming into a pout.

Jason's eyes widened, "Oh- uhm. I'm sorry?"

"You're singing again."

"Shouldn't someone else have a turn?" He couldn't help but ask.

"Nope," someone from the room yelled. "We'd rather hear you sing instead. Everyone else sounds like a dying chicken when it's their turn." Someone punched him, "Ow!" The voice complained, "I'm not lying."

"Come on, Jay." Peter encouraged him, "You sing so good! We have to hear it again."

Jason saw nods from all around the room and he knew that his skin was red because of all the positive attention. Jason wasn't used to receiving compliments. So this was all so weird for him.

He fidgeted a little before nodding. "Fine," He said. "But only one more. Someone else has to sing after me."

Tony gave Jason a thumbs up and the next song began to play.

He watched Jason unconsciously dance as he sang, the huge smile back on his face as he blessed everyone's ears.

Was there anything this kid couldn't do?

He can fight, and cook, he's smart, and now Tony's figuring out that he can sing and dance.

Red Hood sure was full of surprises.

What's next? Jason was going to have powers and could conjure up weird weapons out of nowhere?

From the corner of his eye, he saw Clint filming everything Tony couldn't help the small laugh that escape his throat.

It's about time they had someone in the family that could sing. He couldn't wait until Jason felt comfortable enough to give the Avengers permission to post him on their socials.

The media was going to love him.

Sometime in the future, he knows that Jason was going to be America's newest heartthrob.

He was going to put Tony and Brucie's reputation to shame.

Chapter Text

It wasn’t a good day for Jason. It was obvious to everyone in the room.

Especially Wanda.

Even though she’s gotten better control of her powers, it was still hard for her to grasp certain concepts. Being able to feel other people’s emotions was one of them.

A cold wave of dread washed over her and she couldn’t resist the shiver that made its way down her body. Wanda felt concerned glances being sent her way but she ignored them, choosing to shoot her own worried glance at Jason.

It’s been months since she’s met the vigilante and she could see why everyone got attached to him quickly. It didn’t take long for either Wanda or Pietro to see him as their brother.

Which is why she hated seeing him like this. Everyone in the room feels the same way. Problem is, none of them knew how to help.

Suddenly, Wanda’s head began to hurt and she felt sweat began to drip down her face. Her eyes blinked erratically. It’s not sweat, she realized. It’s tears. Before she could say a word, a pained scream let itself out from her throat.

A second barely passed and Pietro was next to her. “Deep breaths,” he said, “Do it with me.”

Wanda followed her brother’s instructions and when she calmed down, she met multiple sets of worried eyes. With a weak smile, she shook her head before gently turning it towards Jason.

While her heart warmed at the concern the Avengers had for her, it was directed toward the wrong person. Jason needed to know that he had a family that cared. They won’t force him to talk but a small reminder that he wasn’t alone would go a long way. Jason shouldn’t have to feel all those emotions by himself. He shouldn’t keep it bottled up.

It’s not healthy. She watched as Tony approached Jason.

She would know.

Because he was too occupied with his thoughts, Jason didn’t notice that Tony was heading towards him until he felt the seat next to him became occupied. He didn’t acknowledge the older man, focusing on the movements his hands were doing instead.

If Jason could move them, then it meant that he wasn’t tied up in the warehouse. It meant he wasn’t with the Joker.

It meant-

He ripped out of his thoughts and Jason was transported back to his memories. He watched as his younger self told his mo- Sheila Haywood. That woman was not his mom- that he was a Robin.

This was weird. This was different.

Instead of reliving his death, Jason was watching it like it was some sort of television show.

He didn’t know which was worst.

Jason watched as he carelessly followed the woman into the claimed “empty warehouse”. He was so naive.

So desperate.

He watched as the Joker appeared out of the shadows. Mini-Jason’s eyes widened and when he turned Sheila, he was met with an uncaring wall of stone as she brought the cigarette to her mouth.

It’s been years and Jason’s still not over it.

She was supposed to be his mom. She was supposed to care. She was supposed to keep him safe.

She was supposed to love him.

She wasn’t supposed to sell him out to a psychotic maniac.

The countdown from the timer haunts him. It echoed through his head and he watched as his younger self throw his body over Sheila like he was some sort of shield.

Some part of Jason still wished that his action had been enough to save her.

The warehouse exploded soon after and Jason was back in the tower.

His breathing was heavier, sweat was beaded on his forehead, and his fists were clenched hard enough for his fingernails to draw blood. The room was spinning and Jason’s head ached.

Next to him, Tony was frozen.

What the fuck. What the fuck!

WHAT THE FUCK?

His head was running through a million possibilities. What the hell did Tony just see?

In front of him, the floor was filled with red fog. Steve and Pietro were frozen in shock. Tears were running down Wanda’s eyes and she furiously tried to wipe them. Repeated whispers of apologies kept leaving her mouth.

He hadn’t seen her this distraught since Ultron.

Okay, okay. Tony took a deep breath. It was real. That was real. Somehow, Wanda brought all of them into Jason’s memories. Meaning, Jason went through all of that. Jason was tortured and Jason die-

“Shit!” Tony cursed himself, dragging himself away from his head. “Jason… Jason!” He repeated. The kid was shivering as bad as Steve did whenever he had nightmares about the ice. “Fuck,” his eyes scanned the room before zeroing in on an object.

Jason was wrapped in the blanket in less than a few seconds and FRIDAY turned up the heating as the group patiently stayed with Jason. Tony grabbed the kid's right hand, rubbing gentle circles in order to calm himself down.

Jason’s here. He thought, Jason’s okay. Well- physically. And more importantly, Jason’s alive. Tony repeated the thoughts like it was his new mantra.

Pietro was still consoling his sister, assuring her that what happened was an accident and that it wasn’t her fault.

Steve agreed but before he could voice his thoughts, Jason groaned. His face clenched up in anguish and every time Steve believed that the kid couldn’t surprise him anymore, things like this happens.

Still, even though this wasn’t the appropriate time for it, he couldn’t help the fond smile that took over his face.

All the pain and anguish that Jason went through.

All that trauma and he still tried his hardest to help the people around him live a better life. Not just as a vigilante but as a civilian as well.

Steve couldn’t believe he was lucky enough to meet a kid like Jason Todd.

He remembered all the times he had to force Jason to take a break from his research. The number of times Steve had to assure Jason that what he was doing was more than enough and that it was okay to take a break every once in a while.

Jason’s work habits reminded Steve so much of Tony sometimes, it freaked him out.

What freaked him out, even more, were the insecurities the kid had.

He swore that he would make the bastards that made Jason feel that way pay.

As time passed, Jason’s mask began to fade away and they all learned more about him and vice versa.

(By all, Steve means everyone but Bucky. Jason had a wonderful talent when it came to evading the Winter Soldier.

Steve asked about it once and when Jason explained, he couldn’t stop laughing.

Steve couldn’t help it! The two of them were complete idiots.

He told himself that he’ll give the two vigilantes a few more months of playing hide and seek before he forcefully introduced them to each other.

Steve could only take so much of Bucky’s puppy dog eyes.)

Anyways, Jason’s snarky personality didn’t take long to come out and if Tony wasn’t obsessed with adopting him before, he definitely was now. Steve was surprised that the paperwork wasn’t officialized yet.

He wondered what was taking Tony and Clint so long. Because, even though they fight over who gets to adopt who, everyone knows that the two of them co-parented the kids.

Jason’s hand twitched as his face twisted into even more pain. Wanda wrapped her arms around her knees, no doubt feeling what Jason did.

Steve’s mind flashed back to the scene he saw earlier.

“What hurts more? Forehand? Or backhand? Forehand? Or backhand?” The words engraved themselves into his head and Steve tightened his fists in anger.

That clown better be dead because if he isn’t and Steve gets his hands on him-

Let’s just say that the clown would wish he was with HYDRA instead.

Chapter Text

Jason thanked whatever gods existed that he had his helmet on right now because then, the bats would be able to see just how surprised he was with that invitation.

“Sorry, what?” Jason asked as casually as he could, continuing to look at the city below. It didn’t matter how many times he saw the view, he was never going to be tired of it.

“Are you heading back to the manor with us?” Batman repeated.

Jason blinked. So he did hear it correctly.

He turned around just in time for Dick to insert himself into the conversation, bursting with excitement. “It’s my turn to pick the activity but if you want, you can ask me superrrrrr nicely and I’ll let you pick instead.”

Jason doesn’t know what to say and with the way the bats were watching him, he knew that they were waiting for an answer.

He glanced down. This tradition that the family had was created around a year and a half ago. He knew that there were several nights each month when they'd cancel their plans so they could hang out after patrol.

Jason also knew that he never had to set days aside for said nights because he’d never been invited.

“Soooo…” Steph said, dragging the word before pausing for dramatic effect. “Are you coming or are you coming?”

Well, that told Jason what the bats expected his answer to be. At least Steph’s smile was wide, assuring him that she was genuine about her enthusiasm.

“I- uh.” Jason scratched the back of his neck, “I was planning on leaving the city for a while y’know. Go off the grid n’ all that.”

Jason didn’t mention that he had plans with other people. If he did, then the bats would become suspicious and follow him around until they found out the who, what, when, where, and why.

And just because Jason had the ability to evade them for as long as he needed to didn’t necessarily mean that he wanted to go through all that work.

“But you just got back!” Tim exclaimed, “You only came back a few weeks ago and we barely see you outside of patrol.”

“I’ve been busy,” Jason replied, even though he wanted to argue and say that that’s how it has always been.

He doesn’t remember a single day that he’s hung out with any of the heroes outside of missions and patrols. The only exceptions were when they crashed his safe house for a movie but even those were rare.

By now, Jason knew that just because he worked with them didn’t mean that he was one of them.

But when he looked up and when he saw their crestfallen looks, he couldn’t help but give in at least a little bit. Because maybe, just maybe, this was their olive branch for the argument in the cave.

Maybe this was their olive branch for everything.

No one apologized when Jason was back on their radar. Not that he expected them to. Instead, things went back to exactly how they were before- awkward and tense, with a plate full of distrust in the air.

It was so much easier with the Avengers.

“Look,” The bats perked up the word, their eyes filled with hope that Jason would cancel his ‘off the grid’ plan. “Just let me know when your guys’ next- um… bonding thing is going to be. I’ll make sure that I won’t do anything after patrol.”

And just as fast as it appeared, their hopeful looks faded and were instantly replaced with disappointment.

He shifted awkwardly. It’s been a moment too long and it’s not like he was stupid. Jason knew they were having a silent conversation in front of him. They weren’t even being slick! It’s like they forgot that before everything, he was one of them. Jason knew what the heals tilts and taps indicated.

He sighed, if they weren’t going to respond then he had his answer. The invite was a one-time thing.

Jason reached for his grapple, “I’m just gonna go.”

Their heads turned to him with so much speed that he wondered how it didn’t fall off their necks.

“Wait!” Dick said in haste, “Give us your number so we can add you to the family group chat.”

He froze and once again, he thanked the gods that his helmet was on because he wouldn’t have been able to hide the hurt in his eyes.

He doesn’t know why he’s shocked. Of course, they had a group chat without him. And of course, they didn’t add him earlier. It made sense. It’s not like he was part of the family before. Or maybe even ever. This confirmed that.

Dick looked at him expectantly and Jason hesitated, did he want to give it to them? His mind ran through the possibilities before deciding that the best option was to give them a number from one of his burner phones.

A burner phone that he’ll conveniently forget at a random safe house so that when they hack it, they won’t be able to track him.

Because why else would they just add Jason now? Why just ask him for his number now when he’s been back for years weeks?

When he fired his grapple, he felt their stares burning through his back.

Unlike his meetings with the bats, Jason wasn’t filled with dread when he’s meeting with the Avengers. He was excited.

Something was off though.

Jason felt it the moment he stepped into the tower. FRIDAY greeted him, that was normal. But other than that, everything else felt weird.

Hushed voices and wandering eyes followed him. He let out a breath of relief when the elevator doors closed.

That was weird. And it reminded Jason of when Bruce would force him to visit the Titans, claiming Jason needed to make friends. The only difference was that the whispers and stares-

They weren’t full of hostility or disgust. Instead, they were filled with curiosity and… excitement?

Jason’s been at the tower plenty of times. Why would the stares begin now? They should’ve started at the beginning, right? Did Jason do something wrong?

Before Jason’s thoughts could continue that slippery slope, he was interrupted by a large “SURPRISE!”

Jason blinked before furrowing his brows, he was pretty sure that it wasn’t his birthday.

“What’s this for?” He asked, walking in when he finally managed to get his legs to work.

No one answered him. Instead, the Avengers exchanged grins before Pietro grabbed his arm and forced him to sit on the sofa.

If Jason wasn’t confused before then he was now. He looked up and realized that everyone was there.

Even the Winter Soldier.

Holy shit. Jason tried his hardest to stay calm, how Bucky Barnes managed to look cooler every time Jason sees him, he doesn’t know.

Months passed and Jason's mission to avoid the assassin had been a success. He sighed, it lasted a lot longer than he thought it would

Their gazes met and Bucky looked at him with a wide smile, Jason could tell that the man was giddy about something. He wondered what it was.

Before he could think about it any further, the elevator dinged and Tony stepped out with a thick folder in his hand.

“This is for you." He gave it to Jason eagerly."Open it."

Jason did.

He doesn’t bother hiding the shock on his face as his mouth dropped open in disbelief. "How did you-" His voice cracked and before he could chicken out, he rushed to give Tony a hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” He whispered repeatedly, head resting on the mechanic’s shoulder, trying to blink the tears away. “Thank you.”

Tony wrapped his arms around Jason and for the first time in a while, Jason felt safe.

Still, a selfish part of Jason wished that it was Bruce hugging him. That it was Bruce who decided that Jason was worth the effort to be legally brought back to life.

Once again, Jason ended up on the couch, listening as Tony explained when it clicked that he was the same Jason Todd that Bruce Wayne adopted.

It can be summarized by Tony revealing that he knew that Bruce was Batman the whole time and when he saw that Jason was Robin. It just made sense for him.

When Jason asked why Tony went through all that work for him, the man simply responded with “You’ve been living the past few years under aliases. That’s no way for a kid to live so obviously, I had to fix that.”

Tony said it so casually. Like it was natural for him to go through all the trouble to do this for Jason.

And he wasn’t!

Jason wasn’t worth that trouble. Because if the man that was supposed to be his dad refused to correct his status, then why did the Avengers?

“So what do you think, kid?” Sam asked, interrupting his thoughts.

“Sorry,” Jason turned his head. “What?”

Instead of looking annoyed, Sam looked amused. “Now that you’re legally back and all that, are you planning on going back to school?”

It took a moment for his question to sink in.

School.

Jason hadn’t even thought of that. Now that he was back, Jason could return to high school or even just take the test to earn his GED. He doesn’t care which one. The point is, Jason could go to college.

And wasn’t that a thought. When he was younger, it was his dream to get a collegiate degree. He thought it had a chance of coming true when Bruce took him in but then the Joker happened and when he rose from the dead, the whole thing with Tim.

And after that, incident after incident kept piling up and school was the last thing on his mind.

But now-

Now Jason could go. He could pursue an education and prove to everyone that a street rat can go to college.

His excitement must’ve been obvious because the room laughed. “I guess that’s a yes.”

“As if he was going to say no.” Clint teased, “We all know that Jason is nothing but a nerd under all that muscle.”

Jason laughed and stuck his tongue out at the archer.

The man responded by pulling Jason to his feet, a microphone somehow appearing in his hand. “As a thank you, you should sing for us.” Clint said before pursing his lips, “And cook breakfast for us every day.”

Jason raised an eyebrow, “You can’t ask me anything. You weren’t the one that did the work.”

“Nope.” Tony grinned, popping the p. “It was me. But as much as it pains me to agree with Clint. I expect all of that as a token of gratitude.”

Jason squinted, “I think you guys only let me come back here so you can eat all my food.”

“Oh, a hundred percent,” Tony said.

Jason dramatically rolled his eyes, “Fine. I guess I’ll agree to those terms.”

Clint pumped his fists in victory and the room cheered.

“Oh wait!” Steve interrupted, blue eyes widening. “Do you think you can grab something for me in that room, Jason?” He pointed to a door in the hallway that Jason was sure no one used.

“Uhm… sure?” Jason walked towards the room anyways and when opened the door, someone pushed him in. Jason stumbled, “Holy shit!” He cursed in surprise.

A “language!” could be heard from the other side of the door.

Jason was about to bang his hand on the door when he realized who was stuck in the room with him.

The Winter fucking Soldier.

Out of habit, his eyes darted around the room, trying to look for a place to hide.

“The rooms empty.” The assassin’s drawl was full of amusement. “You can’t hide from me here.”

Jason stilled. He was shocked and maybe a little bit scared. Bucky Barnes was facing him. The last time this happened, Jason fainted.

That’s not going to happen again.

If he was going to be forced to talk to the greatest assassin ever, then he was going to make the best impression ever. And it would be so good that Bucky would forget that Jason even fainted in front of him.

Okay, he thought. What should he say? Should he give the assassin a handshake? Maybe a fist bump? Is it okay to fist-bump assassins?

In front of him, Bucky was muttering under his breath. If Jason didn’t know any better, he would say that the man was giving himself a pep talk.

That didn’t make sense though because why would the Winter Soldier need to give himself a pep talk. The two of them were the only ones in the room so who was Bucky trying to impress?

Just in case though, Jason discreetly scanned the room again.

“Okay,” Bucky said, “Hi.”

Jason tilted his head, “Hi?”

“I’m Bucky Barnes.” Jason knew that. “The Winter Soldier.” Jason knew that too.

When Bucky held out his hand, Jason stared at it. This was the best day of his life. “I’m Jason Todd.” He shook Bucky’s hand, Grant would be so jealous of me right now. “The Red Hood.”

No one said anything for a while and for some reason, Jason couldn’t control his mouth because he blurted out, “You’re my favorite Avenger. My favorite assassin, actually. There was this one time in my life where I was taught by a bunch of people because I wanted to murder the guy who murdered me.” At Bucky’s concerned look, Jason said. “It’s a long story and it’s not important. The point is I really wanted you to teach me but my uhm- mom? Yeah, let’s call her that. My mom said you were out on a mission so I had to find someone else to teach me and I was so disappointed because…” It seemed like he had no filter because Jason talked about how much he looked up to the assassin and he didn’t stop until he lamely finished with, “I’m your number one fan.”

Jason wanted to bang his head against the wall and sink to the ground. What the fuck happened to making a good impression? Why did he always embarrass himself in front of the Winter Soldier?

“Wait,” Bucky had a disbelieving look on his face but his smile was so wide it was infectious, “I’m your favorite Avenger?”

Jason nodded.

“I thought you hated me.”

Now, Jason had a look of disbelief. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. You’re too cool to hate.”

“You think I’m cool?”

Jason nodded again.

“Huh.” Bucky looked up, “This is the best day of my life.”

“Same,” Jason muttered. “The only thing that would make it better is if you fight me.”

“Okay.” Bucky easily agreed.

“What the-“Jason's eyes met Bucky’s. “How’d you even hear that? Wait- did you say yes? Can we do it right now? I don’t have my guns but I’m pretty good at hand to hand and I need to brush up on my skills anyways.”

Jason was blabbering again but Bucky looked amused. The two of them took their fighting stances but before they could start, the doors slid open.

“Yeah, no.” Steve gave them a disappointed look. Jason deflated. He saw Bucky do the same. “This isn’t happening today.”

“But Steveee,” Bucky complained. “Jason was the one that asked first. You said I couldn’t ask but you never said nothin’ bout not fightin’ the kid if he was the one that asked.”

“He has a point,” Tony said.

“You’re not helping!” Steve exclaimed before turning and seeing the joint forces of Bucky and Jason’s pouts. He sighed in defeat. “Fine. But not today. You guys can test your skills tomorrow”

Bucky stared at Steve, trying to see if he can change the man’s mind. When he realized that he couldn’t Bucky muttered, “Fine.” before- was he skipping?- towards the two heroes.

The fond look on Tony and Steve’s faces doesn't escape Jason. He doesn’t know if the three of them were together but god damn, they had as much tension as Bruce, Clark, and Diana.

“Jason!” He heard Clint’s voice call out. “We made a list of songs for you to sing. Come on!”

Jason grinned, “I’m coming, old man!” He yelled back.

The rest of the night passed way too quickly for Jason’s liking. He doesn’t remember the last time he had so much fun.

He laughed as Clint sang a love song he jokingly dedicated to Nat, who threw a pillow at him when he finished the final note.

The smile on her face was too sweet, “I’m posting that.”

“Do it.” Clint said, “The world needs to be blessed with my-.” Pillows hit the archer in all directions. “Ow.” He groaned, flopping dramatically on the ground.

“In your dreams.” Harley snorted, “You’re not blessing anything except the ears of the devil.”

The music dimmed and Jason thought they were calling it a night so he stood up from between Pietro and Peter, stretching out his arms.

A yawn escaped his lips, something that doesn’t go unnoticed by Steve.

“Wait, Jason.”

He raised an eyebrow, “Am I gonna be shoved into a room again?” He asked jokingly.

Steve doesn’t answer, gesturing for Jason to sit back down. “DoyouwannajointheAvengers?”

Jason’s mouth dropped open but he doesn’t answer. Did he hear the correctly?

Steve took a deep breath and their eyes met, repeating the words slowly. “Do you want to join the Avengers?”

Jason looked behind him and when he saw there was no one, he turned back to Steve. “Me?” He asked, just to clarify.

“Yes, you.”

“You’re asking me, the Red Hood, to join the Avengers?”

“Yes.”

“Me, as in Jason Todd?”

Steve’s eyes crinkled in amusement and something that he couldn’t decipher. “Yes.”

Jason glanced at his lap, fiddling with his fingers. “Are you sure?” The insecurity is obvious in his voice. “Don’t you think it’s too soon?”

Sam laughed. “Trust me, kid. There’s no such thing as it being too soon when it comes to being an Avenger. I became part of it because I was Cap’s running buddy.”

“Wanda and I became part of it when we switched sides after the whole Ultron incident.”

“Tony and I are connected.” was all Harley said.

Peter flushed, “Mr. Stark thought I shouldn’t be fighting crime in my pajamas and a homemade mask. So now I’m here.”

Jason doesn’t know how Bucky made it look cool but he just shrugged, “I’m Steve’s best friend.”

“You don’t have to tell us your answer right away,” Natasha said with a soft smile, kneeling in front of him as she put her hands above his. “But we want you to know that the offer is there for as however long as it needs to be and it’s not going to disappear.”

“Also,” Tony piped up. “No one will be hurt if you decline. You’re already part of our family anyways.”

Jason’s eyes widened, “I am?”

The Avengers looked at him like he was stupid, “Of course you are.” Clint said firmly. “You’ve been one of us since I brought you here.”

His heart warmed at that. The Avengers liked him. Jason was an emotional and wrecked mess when he first got to the tower but despite that, they still liked him. This was surreal.

He wanted to pinch himself because there was no way he wasn’t dreaming.

Jason wasn’t this lucky.

“Boss,” FRIDAY suddenly announced. “A Talia Al-Ghul is sending a flow of emails to the personal servers. The messages can be simply summarized as to how she should take the Avengers to court because…. you stole her son?”