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Chapter Text

- Friday -

When he walked through the door to the massive manor he once called home, he wasn’t expecting to be greeted with one hundred and thirty-five pounds jumping up onto him and sending him crashing to the ground. The impact sent his back flaring with pain, but the purebred hadn’t minded as they went about lapping his face with that long, black and pink tongue.

“Damian!” He shouted through the dog, trying to push him off and away from his face.

Unfortunately, the Dane was unfazed and resorted to flopping down on his chest, effectively trapping him between the purebreds body and floor. Jason gave into a huff, hand trending through the short, corse strands of the dogs fur.

“Dam-“ Before the name could fully escape his lips a wet nose was poking him in the face. He flinched slightly, but peered up to see another pooch staring down at him, ears perked and head cocked.

He sighed, exasperated. The air puffing through his lips and up the Shepherds nose, causing him to jump and shake his head, sneezing in the man’s face. Jason jerked his head to try and escape the snot that speckled his features, but it was too late, and he groaned in disgust.

“Dammit, dog...” He grumbled, using his other hand to wipe his face then reached up and scratched behind those perked ears. It earned him a gentle lick to the top of his nose.

“Todd?” There he was.

Puttering down the stairs, sketchbook in one hand, headphone in the other, Damian came into view. Jason sent him a glare without heat, just at the Shepherd laid on the ground besides his head, snout resting on his face without care.

“Do somethin’ bout your dog. He’s crushin’ me.” Jason ground out, trying to annoying the Dane into getting him to move – by poking him in the nose on occasion.

If it was ever possible, Damian let out an amused chuckle.

“Titus. Here.” He snapped his fingers to emphasize the command while pointing toward the ground besides him.

Immediately the Dane jumped up – pointy elbows digging into Jason’s ribs and massive paws stomping on his stomach – and stood besides his favorite person. Damian patted his head and praised him for his obedience, while the Shepherd only perked up his own and wagged his tail mildly.

Jason groaned, slowly sitting up as he recovered from the trample and ran a hand through his two-toned locks.

“What are you doing here?” Damian inquired, brow raised in a way that reminded Jason a lot like Talia in the manner.

“Alfred called.” He began, getting to his feet while Ace followed almost instantly, tail wagging as he nudged Jason’s hand with his nose. He obliged, absently scratching the top of his head. “Said there was somethin’ here that required me to actually show up.”

Damian looked a little off put before turning his attention toward the end of the stairs and scowling.

“Damn you, Pennyworth.” He grumbled under his breath.

Jason raised a brow while crossing his arms, Ace taking a seat besides him as Titus trotted across the hardwood and gave into a stretch. Long limbs reaching out across the floor as his back arched and letting out a loud yawn. Ears back and tongue curling before flopping onto the cool flooring.

“Let me guess...” Jason started, noting the boy’s glare and string of discontent mumbling. “You’re home alone, aren’t ya?”

The glare he got in return was the answer that didn’t need words. He knew about his brothers being out of town – Dick back in Blüdhaven, Tim with the Titans. And the girls, who were spending the weekend at the Clock Tower. While Bruce was, well... everywhere all at once – Justice League business, W.E., protecting the city inside and outside the costume – as per usual. Then, considering Alfred hadn’t greeted him upon his arrive, that meant he was either also out of town or caught up in Bruce’s business – one of which the old butler didn’t need to be dealing with at his age. That left the kid here, glaring at him like he had no business being here or anywhere within his presence.

Well, shame. Alfred was a man that didn’t need to explain himself through many words. What he had said to Jason could easily be translated into;

Babysitting Duty.

Since no one else was around to do the job.

Giving into an overly defeated sigh, Jason let his shoulders go slack, along with the tension threading through his body like electric wire.

“Looks like you’re stuck with me for the weekend then, kiddo.”

That struck a cord with the younger and he was instantly standing ramrod straight, fists balled up at his sides and features fixed in a frown. It was quiet adorable in Jason’s opinion, but he wouldn’t be stupid enough to antagonize.

Yet.

“I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself for a merger three days, Todd.” He all but snapped. “I do not need you to suffocate me with your presence by taking my air and killing my superior brain cells with your stupidity.”

“Ah, there he is.” Jason grinned, a mischievous thing that spilled trouble. “Alright, short stack-“

Damian’s expression shifted into pure disbelief at the name. But was easily ignored.

“Since I’m not here to teach you about humility, how bout we do somethin’ a little more productive.”

“What on Earth could be productive with you around?”

Jason rolled his eyes as he pulled out his phone. “Actually I think you’ll have a lotta fun ‘nd it could be used as a training excise as well.”

He felt the glare digging into the forefront of his skull as he switched between apps; typed a few things here and there before nodding and tucking his phone back into his pocket.

“What are you going on about?” Damian all but growled. Ace stood up slowly, taking a few steps forward and standing almost in front of Jason while staring intently at the younger boy.

“A camping trip.” Jason smirked.

“A what?” Came the flat reply.

The elder rolled his eyes. “It’s suppose to rain all weekend – shockingly enough – so I’ve already set up a flight to take his out west. I know places like Colorado, Idaho, and Oregon, have great camping spots. It’ll also be great wilderness survival training. Different terrain brings different challenges.”

Damian looked to be having a very hard time processing this. Eventually he found his words.

“You just now conjured up this ridiculous idea?” Is what he came up with.

Jason was genuinely surprised it wasn’t as insulting as it could have been. Either way, he shook his head.

“No, actually. I had plans to head out this weekend anyways.” And get away from the stress of the city, the job, the family. What’s more relaxing than going out and enjoying pure, undisturbed seclusion.

“We could even bring the pups with us. I’m sure they could use the freedom to explore outside of the manor. It might even teach you some patients.” Jason drawled.

“The pups as you so elegantly called them – don’t require such... endeavors. They get plenty of exercise and exploration when I take them for walks. And I certainly don’t need it. I cannot leave Gotham to the likes of its people. Robin is needed out there. More so than Red Hood.”

Sighing, the elder shook his head slightly as he began toward the kitchen. “Everyone needs a break, kiddo. That includes Robin. Now get packed. We leave in an hour. ‘Nd prep for cold weather. It’s gunna get just above freezin’ at night and in the high sixties durin’ the day.”

And he was in the threshold of the kitchen before the brat could rebuttal.

Leaving in the morning hadn’t provided enough of a buffer for when they arrived in Grand Junction, Colorado. Nonetheless, it provided a breath taking view as they soared over the Mesa County. The setting of the sun bathed the sand and mesas in fiery colors. Oranges and yellows blanketed the land in a warmth that washed through his form as he stared, mouth agape, out the window of the plane.

This was not the city. There were no high rise buildings that towered above the roads. No windows that reflected the suns rays and heated the land. No obnoxious busy of people that crowd the roads and suffocated the terrain. Just the wash of the setting sun that drowned out any type of commotion that came from the conjunction of people below. The openness of the area was nothing he’d truly experienced growing up such a massive city like Gotham. Home to six million people with a hustle and bustle of life that put any neighboring town to shame.

Here, there was a tranquility that quivered through his mind. Relaxed racing nerves and whispered nothingness of ease into his soul. If he wasn’t such a city boy with the grime of Gotham coursing through his veins, he’d retire in a place like this. The seclusion it welcomed and stress-less atmosphere it catered was something needed in his own ever busy life.

The people here didn’t need to worry about stingy cops, ramped crime, blood drenching the streets, or the vigilantes that haunted the night and hovered along their rooftops. They were simple minded people who busied themselves with hard work that wasn’t just a desk job.

He wondered briefly if a place like this was anything like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer or To Kill A Mockingbird. Settings were the main character lived in a small town and worked away with the locals. Did everyone know each other here as well as the characters in those books had known in their towns. Or were those just fantasies that were forged by creative writers.

Anything outside of Gotham, was weird. No doubt about it.

He was sure everyone not from there would say the same about himself.

The homes and outcrops of buildings blurred through the brush of green as the plane touched down the makeshift runway along the outskirts. Besides him, Damian stirred and the pooches taking up the seats across from him, perked up.

“We ‘ere?” Damian mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with the back of his hand.

“Sure are.” Jason grinned just as the plane eased to a stop, the whine of the engine tuning into a less obnoxious and ear piercing sound.

“Grab your crap. It’s a two and a half hour drive to Silverton ‘nd your wastin’ time loungin’ around.”

He stood from his seat, reaching his hands to the ceiling and popping his back – palms touching the hard plastic above.

Damian yawned and jutted his legs out, arms high in the air as he also gave into a much needed stretch, body stiff from the single position he’s found himself in the whole flight.

It didn’t take long for them to exit the plane, luggage in hand and two overacted dogs ready to explore the world. Beyond the gravel of the runway was a woman, hand high above the air and waving toward them.

“You must be the Wayne boys!” She shouted through the ever shrinking gap between them.

Damian scuffed as he looked at his phone, the notification blocking the wallpaper behind it as the time flashing in his face. Jason nudged his brother, almost knocking the device from his hand which earned the elder with a glare.

He shrugged as they stopped before the woman – a middle aged lady with a forced smile and stock of wheat hair that framed her caked cheeks. She greeted them accordingly, trying to push the nosy shepherd that found the edges of her skirt more interesting than the grey bushes his bother had been exploring.

Jason nodded with a smile to acknowledge her, but didn’t do much in ushering the purebred away from further exploration.

“How was you flight?” She inquired conversationally, shuffling through her oversized purse, probably looking for a set of keys.

Jason shrugged. “Like any other I suppose.”

“That’s good.” She replied distractingly, keys yanked – along with a tube of chapstick, headphones, granola bar, gum wraps, and other mom quality items that came from within the bag – free from her purse. “Follow me and I’ll lead you inside to finish up the proper paper work.”

They headed toward the back door of the building resting besides the gravel of the runway. The atmosphere, the warmth of the sun and shimmer of heat brushing through the air, rustled through their forms. Insects buzzed with life, disrupting the tranquility of the nothingness beyond the airstrip.

Thinking it over again, they weren’t home, that much was obvious. It was too quiet to be anything but away. No cars honking at each other. No screaming or threats being tossed at one another. There wasn’t the thick blanket of smog that clung to the atmosphere, choking you in its embrace. The sky was a deep blue with waves of pinks and oranges fluttering into its shade. Prickles of stars made themselves known on the other side of the sky, settling in the ever glowing darkness that crawled across the canvas of space.

Inside smelt like a mixture of cleanliness – bleaches, orange lysol, and other platoons of supplies – and freshly brewed coffee. It wasn’t anything like the breeze of dirt and burnt rubber that flooded the airstrip in its thick smog. The change was... comforting.

“Alrighty,” The woman began as she slipped behind a desk, typing away on its computer while shuffling through a mess of paperwork sitting on its surface.

Jason couldn’t help but slightly cringe at its stack. The urge to reorganize it was small, but there nonetheless. Luckily, there were quickly banished from his thoughts when she slid over a small pack and pen, pointing toward certain areas for signatures and the such. She even asked for this I.D., which he obliged thoughtlessly.

It was at times like these he was actually grateful for being declared legally alive. No longer having to forge dead identities for little things such as across country travel – being the most immediate example.

After the short process of signatures and small talk, the keys were slipped into his hand and directed toward the open parking lot out front. There weren’t many vehicles parked outside, besides the bright crimson Jeep that rested closest to the front door.

Giving thanks they left. Everything piled into the back, luggage and dogs in suit – Titus with his head out and in the wind, while Ace found it content enough to lounge on the cool leather of the backseat. Damian jumped into the passenger seat, settling into its leather before buckling up. His older brother took the drivers and they were off.

Heading down south toward Silverton, Colorado.

Chapter Text

Through the winding roads and cool breeze fluttering through open windows, night descended across the land. Mesas turned into rocky formations, years of erosion shaping them into towering points that pierced the dark canvas of stars above. With the sun hidden behind the waves of mountain ranges and allowing the stars to twinkling it’s light, it made those mounds and rocky points look like fingers reaching up to grasp at the sky.

Eventually they arrived in the small town, those bright headlights bathing nearby buildings and homes in white light. A part of him felt a little guilty at the intrusion, but it was pushed aside as he pulled up to the rangers hut and shifted the Jeep into park. Removing the keys, he manually turned off the headlights, allowing the area to be swathed in darkness once more.

Taking a gander toward his right, he found the younger slumped against the door, seatbelt digging into the side of his neck – but the look of his face gave way that it wasn’t a bother. Behind him, the dogs were up, ears perked and tails wagging as they waited to be released from the car at a moments notice.

Titus looked a little more excited, tongue drooping from his mouth as he shuffled his feet. The anxiousness buzzed his body with barely contained excitement as the leather below his paws creaked and squeaked. Ace on the other hand looked less enthusiastic, instead keeping his expression neutral and only looking up to Jason expectingly.

He supposed that was one of the reasons he enjoyed the older dogs company to Titus. Less energetic than his brother and being Bruce’s dog made him much calmer. Taking after his owner and the type of atmosphere the man gave off. Whereas Titus was the dog of a very up and going child that moved with a type of restless energy that reminded him of another sidekick with that eagerness to move.

Sighing, he nudged the younger boy, shaking his arm to retrieve him from dreamland. Damian groaned and swatted the hand away, not wanting to return to the land of consciousness quiet yet.

“Come on, kiddo.” Jason murmured, switching from the gentleness of a shake to pinching the boy’s arm.

Damian growled and like lightening, punched the elder in the arm. It hadn’t hurt, and was less of a surprise as Jason only chuckled and ruffled the kid’s hair for the amusement of annoying the other.

“Fine. Stay here. I’ll be right back.” Jason stated, taking the keys and tucking them into his pocket. Better safe than sorry if the kid woke up and thought it hilarious to flee while Jason was away.

Nonetheless, he popped open the door and slid from the seat, almost immediately Titus was leaping over the console and out of the car, giving a sharp bark up to the elder. Jason shushed him with a snapped of his fingers as Ace sauntered his way up front and jumped down, quietly landing besides the young man.

Ace looked up at Jason readily before shaking his head and turning his attention toward his brother – one of which was off exploring the front of the building and the bushes along its edge. He made no effort in joining him, just giving into a long stretch and yawning. A quick shake of his body – spring shed blanketing the gravel below him – and followed Jason into the building, Titus lingering on a plant before trotting up besides him.

Sitting at the desk in its entrance was a man, dressed in what looked like a typical park ranger uniform. He looked up and raised a brow at the younger man and two large dogs approaching him.

“Can I help you?” The ranger greeted, voice on edge but in control.

Jason gave him what he hoped was a nonthreatening smile before resting an arm on the rangers desk. “Just need a few maps on the area and maybe another on the hiking trails down by Leviathan Lake.”

The ranger raised a brow. “You realize it’s almost midnight, right?”

“Yes...?” Jason raised a slight brow.

The ranger sighed. “Never mind.” He rifled through his desk and pulled out a few brochures of sorts.

He handed them each to Jason one at a time, glancing at the dogs as they sat at each side of the young man being surprisingly obedient.

“One is an overall map of Jagged Mountain. It’s got some travel information along with some of the natural wildlife to look out for. Another is the hiking trails all over, there’s a legend off to the side that indicates how difficult each one is. And the last one is of Leviathan Lake. The trails, plant life, and some of the types of fish available.”

Jason nodded, looking over each one for a moment before tucking them away in his back pocket.

“I hope you’re not going up there tonight...” the ranger looked at him with something he could pinpoint as mild concern.

He could almost laugh. “Oh, no. We’re gunna be leavin’ in the mornin’. Came all the way over here from the east so we’re a bit exhausted.”

The ranger hummed. “Well there’s a motel just down the street from here. Not great, but it’s all we’ve got.”

Jason nodded. “Cool, thanks.” He turned to leave, both dogs getting up to follow behind before he stopped short – Titus almost ramming into his legs while Ace just took a step back.

“Oh wait, is it pet friendly?”

The ranger chuckled and dipped his head. “Yes.”

“Sweet, thanks. Alright, you two, lets go.”

And the three were exiting the building and piling into the car once more, heading toward the flickering light that said Motel.

- Saturday –

“Do you even know where we’re going, Todd?” Damian sneered, climbing up onto a fallen log – bark flaking beneath the tread of his boots and sprinkling the ground.

The elder reached into the pocket of his shorts and pulled out the brochure from the night before. Each edge was crinkled and its reflective surface was smuggled with pen marks and a splash of soda along its top.

A nosy Ace was to blame for the incident when he nudged his nose under Jason’s arm and sloshed the liquid across the paper.

“Of course I do, bat-brat. Map says head up. So we go up.” He replied, stumbling over a rock hidden beneath the areas blanket of pine needles.

Damian snickered but almost face planted when his foot slipped off the shedding bark. He caught himself less than elegantly, but played it off like nothing happened – even as his brother was looking over his shoulder and chuckling in his direction.

“Shut up.” The younger growled.

Jason shook his head and returned to the map. Tracing his index along one of the paths he glanced up, eyes darting along the natural walkway and the direction they were currently headed. He glanced up, squinting through the pines that gently swayed above.

The sun slowly climbed into the bright blue sky, speckles of clouds casting their shadows across the surface. Another glance at the map and trail then a jerk of a nod.

“Just gotta keep heading south-east and we should make it there before noon.”

“South-east?” Damian raises a brow, glancing off to the side to see Titus weaving through the tall pines, occasionally stopping to sniff and lift his leg before sauntering ahead. Ace on the other hand stuck by Jason’s side, nose to the ground as he explored the different types of smells that came with the new environment.

“Yes. South-east. The suns still rising,” He pointed toward the star. “Which means that’s East. Ever heard the saying rises in the east, sets in the west?”

“Of course I have. I’m not an ignorant child such as yourself, Todd!” The younger snapped.
Jason rolled his eyes, stuffing the map back into his pocket and stepping over a bundle of twigs. “Just making sure. I didn’t bring a compass so we’ll have to use the stars to travel. Just like sailors!”

The grin that shaped the elders face looked something of excitement, and not even the mischievous kind. Damian shook his head.

It felt like hours passed as the four of them hiked through the skimpy forest, stepping across rotting logs and kicking at rocks. Those brown pine needles crunching under their boots and sticking to their laces. Bushes scrapped across their exposed legs and the pooches continued their wondering.

Squirrels and chipmunks became a nightmare every time one of was spotted. Ace growled at them from a distance while Titus found it exciting to chase after them. That led to a nature hike off course and two ruffled boys – needles sticking up in their strands and dirt clinging to their clothing. After that, Damian gave the dog quiet the lecture while forcing him to stay by his side until he behaved.

Spiders became quiet the interesting debacle as well. Of which Damian forgot that each side of the country had different types of environments which housed different types of insects and animals.

Growing up in the desert, the only arachnid the younger had to deal with were scorpions and ten legged camel spiders. They blended in with the sands wanting nothing to do with humans if they could be avoided. Damian kept with that and did his best to toss them out of his room when they found shelter inside. Besides that he’s never seen any as colorful as the one his stupid elder brother found off the path and hidden within a twist of branches.

“Hey, check it out!” Jason called after him, waving his hand to beckon Damian over.

Grumbling, the younger sauntered over, but kept a bit of distance from those eight legs.
Jason held his hand up near the clear layered silk, just besides those long, drawn out appendages and yellow and black body.

“Jesus, this things about the size of my hand!” There was no fear in his brothers tone, just fascination and excitement. Ace raised his head, going up to sniff the animal before Jason was pushing his nose down and ushering him away.

“No, Ace, don’t sniff it. What if it jumps on you?” He sculled the purebred. Ace shook his hand away and sat down besides him. Titus on the other hand, poked his snout through and thought it the best time to sneeze all over the animal and it’s web.

“Dammit dog! No!”

“Titus, here!” Damian ordered and the dog obliged, jumping over to sit besides his owner, tail thudding agains the ground.

Much to their relief, the spider hadn’t moved from its spot, except to spread its legs out a little. Jason glared at the dog over his shoulder before grabbing a small stick.

“What are you going to do?” Damian asked, more than a little skeptical.

“Nothing.” His brother replied and proceeded to nudged the spiders front two legs.

“You’re an imbecile.”

And just as the words left the boy’s mouth and Jason nudged the leg again, it launched from its perch and onto his bare arm.

If Damian wasn’t scrambling away from the tree and almost tripping over Titus in return, he would’ve laughed at how girlie his brothers scream was.

Maybe it wasn’t his most dignified moment, but when a monstrous spider the size of a small dinner plate lands on your arm, all dignity flies out the window. Jason waved his arm around and decided now was the best time to play Dance Dance Revolution in order to get this thing off his body. He didn’t know if he had succeed after it was no longer on his bare arm, but that didn’t stop him from patting down his body like an angry TSA agent just to make sure.

They left all other spider webs alone after that.

However much time passed, the sun was above them, it’s rays sinking it’s heat into their dark shirts and heading along their exposed cheeks. Ace had a tongue dangling, and with the thick coat of fur covering his form, Damian felt sympathy toward the animal. He made a mental note to share some of his water with him again.

He glanced toward his older brother, once of which looked only slightly miserable as he dragged a hand across his forehead and brushed his thumb along his nose. With the sun beating down on his face like that, Damian could predict several more freckles to dot his cheeks by the end of the trip.

Unlike his brother, Damian grew up in the desert, this heat was nothing to what he had trained in as a child. Even found the warmth of the dry atmosphere a little comforting compared to the humid dampness of the city.

“Might getta fricken nose bleed by the end this...” Jason grumbled, fingers carting through his locks.

“Doing what? Fighting a tree?” Damian inquired, kicking at a rock as he passed by – it thudded across the path before thumping into a stump and halting.

“When you’ve lived in Gotham your whole life, you get used ta the humidity. Spendin’ the weekend in the middle of a high desert area tends to zap your body of any moisture you’re used to. Thus,” He pointed at his nose and, as if one cue, it started dripping beads of crimson.

“Nose bleed.”

Jason sighed while reaching into another pocket and pulled out a package of pocket tissues. Yanking one out he twirled it tight and shoved it in his nose. He looked down at his shirt and used another to swipe away drops of blood before it had time to soak into the cotton.

Damian opened his mouth to say something but the words were caught in his throat as he looked up and caught the side of a massive bright glimmering lake. It’s teal color glistened in the rays of the sun overhead and reflected the gentle span of trees that surrounded a corner of its shores.

“Oh,” Jason started, voice nasally. “There it is!”

Without waiting for his younger brother to reboot, Jason and the pooches slid down the steep trail and touched based in the soft natural green blades of thin grass.

He glanced up at Damian and raised a brow.

“Coming?” He shouted up at him.

The younger blinked for a moment before shaking his head and followed after his brother. Heels of his boots digging into the dirt and rocks before giving a leap and landing besides him in the grass.

“What is this place?” He asked.

“Leviathan Lake.” Jason answered while taking strides down toward its shore, Ace and Titus at his heels – most likely eager to go for a swim.

Damian hummed and followed.

“You gotta hold the line with your finger before you release and then you hold the pole high and start waving it back ‘nd forth. Like so,”

Jason held up his own fishing pole and waved it back and forth, the ombré line swaying in the air with a light whipping crack.

“Okay?”

Damian watched closely and tried to imitate the action, it worked well enough, the line curing behind him and launching out across the water before curving in again.

“Nice!” Jason praised. “Then when ya think yer ready just release. Like this,”

After a few extra whips, he removed his finger from the line, watching it soar across the lake, fly plopping into the water.

Damian watched intently then went to do the same. He held the line with his finger, tossing the pole to and fro then releasing it across the lake. Unlike his brothers – which sailed and landed straight as an arrow – Damian’s fly and line pooled into a tangled mess along the surface of the water. He huffed.

“Don’t worry. Just takes practice.” Jason nodded, drawing the line back in before casting again.

And practiced the boy did. Drawing the line back in and casting again and again until it was landing in the water with an elegant plop. He didn’t ask where his brother leaned to fly fish. Didn’t ask the significance of it, but found it a calming activity. Maybe this is what his brother meant when it came to leaning patients.

Which would eventually pay off in time for the sun to dip below the mountains and cast its dusk coloring across the sky.

“Caught one!” Jason announced, pulling Damian from his attention of the two dogs splashing about near the shore.

He turned in time to see the fish leap out of the lake, it’s green colors reflecting in the casting light of the sun before splashing back into the water. His brother grinned, pulling at the line before letting it loose and allowing the fish to take it away.

The animal put up a fight if the bend of his pole was anything to note. He tugged and tugged, reeling the line in until the fish was within grabbing distance. Damian watched with a raised brow as his brother reached into the water and latched onto the slippery body of the wriggling creature, yanking it out.

“Come ‘ere.” Jason jerked his head toward Damian and the younger complied without argument – too caught up in the moment to bother with a quip.

The elder held out his pole for the younger to take, while almost loosing the fish from his grasp. He tightened it, squeezing the creature enough for it to make a wheeze.

“You’re hurting it!” Damian snapped, sending him a heated glare.

Jason ignored him while he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of pliers.

“It’s gunna hurt a lot worse if I don’ get this hook outta its mouth,” He explained, reaching into the fish’s mouth and grasping the fly inside.

“Damn thing swallowed it...” He grumbled, wriggling the hook free as gently as he could – taking into consideration of his over enthusiastic brother besides him. One of which was probably plotting murder with how dark his glare was growing.

Jason rolled his eyes and finally gave in and yank the hook free.

“Paza!” He exclaimed, raising the fish in the air like it was a record breaker.

“Well, let it go you imbecile!” Damian all but growled.

“Chill-lax. Live in the moment will ya.” Jason sighed. “‘Sides, I was thinkin’ we could have this for dinner.” He paused, watching his little brother for a moment then chuckled. “JK.”

Damian smacked him with his rod.

“What on earth is that?” Damian exclaimed, pointing at the oozing marshmallow and melted chocolate coating the underside of a gram cracker.

Jason looked up at him, the flicker of the orange fire casting the only light across the boy’s cheeks. He held it up. “This?” He asked.

Damian glared at him. “No, the stupid look on your dumb face, Todd.” He growled out sarcastically before flailing his arms up in the air. “Yes! That!” And he snapped his wrist toward the snack in his brothers hand.

Giving him an unimpressed look, Jason tossed the bag of marshmallows into his brothers arms – whom of which caught them with ease, glaring at them like they personally assaulted him.

“It’s called a s’more. You toast a marshmallow over the fire and squish it in between two gram crackers and chocolate. It’s iconic and I promise you, you’ll love it.”

“Doubtful.” Damian sneered with little heat, pulling one of those squishy pillows from the bag and squeezing it with his fingers.

Rolling his eyes, Jason took a bite into his own and tossed a stick at his brother.

“Here. Stab it onta that an’ hold it over the fire.”

Damian caught the object without looking, and set the bag on the ground besides the log his brother was seated on. Then carefully he judged the sharpened point and poked the marshmallow through.

He glanced at his brother, questioning if he was doing this right. Jason wasn’t looking at him as he placed another log onto the fire, so he went ahead and stuck the tip into the flames and sparks that picked up from the newly added fuel.

“If you want it golden brown, hold if from a distance.” His brother explained, brushing off his jacket while Ace lifted his head from besides his feet and sniffed at ground – flinching when an orange ash fluttered onto his nose. “It’ll take a bit longer to melt, but it’s worth it. If not, just stick it in and let it catch fire. It’ll completely burn the outside though.”

Damian shrugged, then watched as the white pillow caught fire. A spark of panic jolted through him as he pulled it from the fire and waved it around, trying to extinguish the flames taking over his marshmallow.

Jason raised a brow as Ace stood up, head cocked to the side, much the same way as the elder.

“Just...” Jason sighed, before reaching over and grabbing his brothers arm to stop the frantic movement. Pulling the stick down to his level he blew out the flames with ease. “You’re suppose to blow it out. Not shake it around like an idiot.” He chuckled.

Damian glared. “I knew that.” He grumbled.

“Sure ya did.”

This time he smacked his older brother with the stick, the marshmallow flinging off and getting stuck in his hair.

“Seriously!” Jason reeled, reaching up to pull the thing from his hair before it oozed into a mess.

“Ha!” Damian snorted. “I suppose that is what Grayson calls karma.”

“You brat!” Then Jason was getting up and pulling the younger into a headlock, digging his knuckles into the kids scalp as he tried to get free.

“Todd!” The younger whined. “Unhand me!”

“Never, you little shit!”

Even Titus and Ace were getting up, tails waking while Titus barked playfully around the two. Wanting to join he jumped up and pushed both of them to the ground as Ace circled them and stood beside their heads – looking down at them as they chuckled.

They stayed like that until the flames of the fire dwindled down to smoldering coals, the lack of light giving way to the vast ring of stars decorating the sky. A cluster of them spanned the length of it, twinkling blues and reds as they carted across the land.

Damian stared, awestruck. Mouth slightly agape and eyes wide as they drank in the scene.

“Get away from the city and light pollution and the stars really come to life. Don’t they,” His brother said, voice soft and barely above a whisper.

Damian hummed, shuffling a little closer until he was lightly pressing into his brothers side, Titus curled up besides him – Ace resting his head on the elders chest.

Staring up like this reminded him a lot of home. The way the stars spanned across the desert and the heat of the day dwindled into the cold of the night. Sometimes he’d find himself standing on the balcony of his mother’s room, just staring up and admiring the beauty above.

Then, he believed the stars would lead him to freedom, a new adventure or greatness that wasn’t training and lessons of death.

Maybe now, even when his mind sometimes tricked him that this was all a dream, that he really was back with grandfather and his teachings, he could believe.

Believe that the stars would lead him to such freedoms; ones with friends and family – even if they were a little irritating.

Chapter Text

- Sunday - 

It had been to long since he’s woken up without a nightmare. Too long since he’s felt the ease of wakefulness blink across his gaze as he gleamed through the plastic of the tents ceiling. Been too long since he’s felt this comfortable.

This safe.

His life may have been short the first time, the second length surprising even himself, but he’s never felt the safety he does now. The absence of tension in his form. The lack of a need to be ready for a fight at any given moment.

In the pits of his mind, he understood how it wouldn’t last. How this comfort and peace would only be a stationary luxury that would stay huddled in the trees of the surrounds mountains and grassy hills. How going back to the city would make this adventure feel like a distant dream, a shadow of should have’s and why not’s.

Today was the last day, the day to take advantage of the peace and quiet. Of the clean breeze and open air. Of childish shenanigans and mending bonds.

Once back home things would return to as they always were. Of distance familial relationships and spotty conversations.

If he’s being honest with himself, he’s enjoyed this weekend and hopes things won’t return to their typical ignorance and questionable values. He hopes to continue to play this role of older sibling that he’s growing into these past few days.

He quite enjoys it.

The bantering, the teasing, the playful remarks and gentle shoving. He’s played big brother before, but not in the fun way of tormenting his younger siblings.

Sure, him and Tim get along as well as an old divorced couple. With a few moments of poking fun and playing the role. But the younger is a busy boy with a company to run, a team to manage, cases to solve, and a city to protect.

Rarely is he ever in the mood to deal with an annoying older brother.

With Damian though, he’s able to poke fun, able to feel like the big, annoying, irritating, protective older brother he’s meant to be – not the middle child he’s always been.

With two legally older siblings and two legally younger siblings, he’s stuck in the middle of this dysfunctional family and, as any middle child, particularly forgotten. The only attention he makes of himself is through spiteful trouble and deadly remarks.

He gives a yawn, loud and obnoxious enough to get a couple perked up heads and thudding tails. Dried knuckles rub across his orbs as he sits up, hand subconsciously running through thick fur and scratching behind soft ears.

Ace leans into the affection with closed orbs and nudging snout when the hand is pulled away. Jason gently bats him away and sits up. Another yawn teetering along his lips and he stretches his arms as high as the tent wold allow, fingers pressing into the warming plastic.

He glances around, watching with a soft smile as Ace is already getting up and stretching, Titus is sitting up, bony tail muffled on the sleeping back of his owner – one of which is still asleep, tuffs of black peering through the bundle.

Jason resists the urge to poke his face with his toe, but just barely as he unzips the tent and climbs out. Finally free of the confined space, he stands and gives a long, bone cracking stretch. Just when he was feeling good something popped and he hissed, hunching over, hand on his back.

If the brat was awake he’d probably make fun of him, hunched over as he was. All he needed was a cane and he’d fit the Old Man Aesthetic. God knows that’s how he feels these days.

At twenty-years-old, he’s got the body of a professional athlete but the pains that made an eighty-year-old jealous.

As the pain subsided he glanced to his right to see Ace staring out toward the lake, hackles raised and teeth slightly bared. Jason looked over and saw a small flock of geese trolling through the glass smooth water. Smirking, he bent down next to the dogs ear.

“Sic ‘em.”

Instantly the canine was taking off toward the water, diving in with a bark and scaring away the birds. Their wings flutter and the smoothness of the lake was instantly rippling with the motion. It carted over the bank and soaked into the dogs fur as he swam out and toward floating feathers – the geese long gone and flying toward distant lands.

Jason snorted with laughter, trying to keep it quiet enough as to not wake the younger, but he squeaked when Ace was instantly besides him, shaking off the water coating his fur.

“Seriously!” He groaned, covering his face at droplets splashed over his body and clothes. He frowned down at the pooch who looked up at him with a grin, tongue hanging out.

All he could do was sigh.

 He hadn’t known how much time passed, but the camp was cleaned up, breakfast was sitting out and Ace was completely dry, save for his occasional dip to wet his paws. Throughout that time, Damian was still in the tent sleeping the day away, Titus by his side for the most part until the heat got to much and he ventured out.

Jason watched as the two dogs played with each other by the water, Titus jumping around and Ace watching him without much engagement. That gave the elder an idea. Was it a good idea? No. Was it liable to pissing the younger off? Most likely. Was it going to be effective? Yes. Most definitely.

Nodding to himself, Jason headed into the tent and gently shook his brother. Damian grumbled and buried his head deeper in the sleeping bag.

“Come on, baby-bat,” Jason mumbled. The younger ignored him.

Sighing, the elder slipped his hands under the sleeping bag and pulled his younger brother into his arms and against his chest.

Surprisingly, there was little resistance. Jason took that as a win and eased himself from the tent and slowly, ever so slowly edged his way toward the water.

The dogs were still at it but stopped at the sight of their owners heading toward them. Titus looked more than thrilled, leaping onto land and pouncing around. Ace, on the other hand, cocked his head – if he had brows, he’d probably raise one, Jason thought comically.

Nonetheless, he put a finger up to his lips to shush them and quietly stepped into the water. It was a little warmer than he’d anticipated, but the deeper he got the colder it would be, and eventually he came to a stop when it was midway up his calf.

“Well, I tried to wake you up the easy way, demon.” Jason said when the younger stirred slightly.

“Wha...” Damian mumbled, green orbs flutter open with knitted brows. Before the confusion or realization set in, Jason rocked him back and then, with all of his strength, threw his brother into the lake – sleeping bag and all.

The younger hit the water with a undignified yelp, arms flailing and splashing. Titus was instantly diving into the water, running over to his owner and drenching him in more of the lakes freezing water. Ace barked playfully as Damian finally wriggled from his sleeping bag and sputtered as he jerked his body up.

A small ways away, his older brother was laughing hard enough to stumble and almost face plant, but caught himself in time to wipe away a tear.

“Todd!” Damian growled, black fringe sticking to his forehead and his pajamas sagged across his form. He sent the older boy a glare hot enough to start a forest fire, fists balled at his sides as he stomped over toward the other.

Undeterred by Jason’s taller stature, Damian turned to sprinting through the water and tackled his brother, both of them falling into the lake.

As Damian tried to drown his brother, the two pooches were pouncing around, splashing both boys while they played with one another. Titus jumping around and Ace wagging his tail. The elder swatted the younger’s hands away, still laughing as he pushed his brother off of him and back into the water.

Though the boy was seething, there was a small bit of amusement in those green orbs. And no matter what other jokes he pulled after this, Jason would admit to this being his best practical prank, even if he almost died a second time.

After the small pocket of breakfast – a granola bar and some fruit slices – the boys, and their unhelpful companions, packet up the rest of the camp and began the grueling trip up the mountain once more.

“Maybe we shouldn’t go off the path we took yesterday?...” Damian inquired, watching his elder brother steering along the edges of a different, less traveled trail.

“Come on kiddo, where’s your sense of adventure?” Jason replied.

“Right besides my superior common sense.”

The eldest just rolled his eyes.

Trotting besides him, Ace followed Jason diligently, enjoying the new smells that came with the new path. Titus seemed insistent to tag along, whining through the hand that blocked his path as he watched his brother with jealous eyes.

Jason waved his hand to usher the younger over – whom of which did no such thing with a raised brow.

“Come on. Don’t be a little baby.”

Immediately the hackles along the boy’s neck were prickling his skin. No body called him a baby and got away with it without losing a few teeth. His brother was no exception to that and he marched over to kick those pearls into his throat.

That was until he noticed the elder taking the same step back he took forward and next thing he knows, there on the new trail while the other is gone, hidden amongst the trees and overgrown bushings.

He feel right into his brothers trap!

“Dammit.” 

“It’ll be fun, let’s go.” Jason grinned. “Just don’t trip and break something. I don’t wanna carry you home.”

“Tt.”

 Glancing up towards the sky, Damian couldn’t help but noticed how distance the sun became since the last he craned his head to gauge his time.

What felt like minutes ago, the sun burning high above, now meant hours as it hovered just above the horizon.

Snapping a glare to his brothers back, Damian huffed. “We’re lost.”

Jason didn’t bother glancing back to meet his brothers gaze, but gave a lackadaisical shrug. “Maybe. Wha’ do you know?” Came the snappy retort. A little defensive, a little irritable.

At this point, Damian’s dentist could hear his molars cracking under the strain of his clenched jaw. Grayson maybe be a pain at times, but at least his company was enjoyable. Drake, well that ripe bloodline was a pest in the most irritating ways possible. He liked the company of Cain, she was quiet and understanding, how ever scary she was. But Todd had this way of getting under his skin that he had yet to understand and it irritated him beyond belief.

It was hard to believe that this imbecile was a great detective and the world renown Red Hood. A nightmare that stalked the streets and haunted the heart of Gothams criminal underground. Who, at times, was more feared than Batman himself. Who could play mind games like a sly cat and beat the likes of his grandfather.

What wasn’t hard to believe, was watching his brother sneak a glance at the map in his hands every now and then while looking toward the sky with knitted brows and small frown. Damian might be a DIT (Detective In Training), but it didn’t take a moron to figure out that the four of them were completely lost.

“Admit it, Todd, we’re lost and you know it.” Damian piped, halting in his step and crossing his arms – Titus taking a spot besides him before finding a more interesting plant to sniff.

Jason groaned and glared at his brother over his shoulder. “We ain’t lost.”

“Oh yeah! Then why have you kept looking at the map?” The younger snapped. “If we weren’t lost then you would have already had us in the town and on our way home. Yesterday, it hadn’t taken this long to get to camp. So admit it, Todd, you’ve managed to turn us around and now we are lost. Complete and utterly so!”

The elder sighed with a shake of his head, not taking the bait of Damian’s remark.

“I just said we aren’t lost. Now chill-lax, little man, and look over there.” Jason waved his hand in front of him and there, beyond the tree line, was the quant little town of Silverton. Cars buzzed down the streets below, while people walked along its sidewalks and into its establishments.

Damian walked over to stand besides his brother, arms still crossed, pout painting his face in a frown. Ace and Titus didn’t seem to care, and went about roaming down the hill side, sniffing this and sniffing that.

“Come on, fun sized satan. Gotta get you home before Dad wrings my neck cause you ain’t there.”

Damian glared up at him, watching his retreating back down the hill while he sputtered for a comment on the nickname. “I am not satan!” He opt to say instead of flopping his lips like a beached fish.

“That’s right.” Jason’s agreed. “You’re fun sized.”

Damian ground his teeth then threw the nearest pinecone at his brothers head.

They reached town with ease, passing a few other hikers with bright smiles and high waves. Some of the ladies gushed over the pair, then melted when meeting the pooches as they begged for head scratches and belly rubs.

An elder couple nodded toward the pair, the woman looking like she wanted to pinch both of their cheeks while the husband glared at them both like they were up to no good.

Two gentlemen, hands intwined, tried to haggle with the elder to adopt Ace from them, which he declined with a heart beating smile that left both of them blushing like a bunch of school girls. Damian only glared at them when they looked at Titus.

After that, the trip to the motel was a little quieter as they marched up to their door and shuffled inside, basking in the air conditioning that blew from its box in the window.

“I call showe-“ before the elder could finish his sentence, Damian was gone and the bathroom door was slammed shut and locked. “-r... Well alrighty then.”

Giving a sigh, he pulled a couple of dishes from his backpack and placed them on the floor. Pulling a ziplock out, he tugging it open and poured the dry food in one of them while the other took a water bottle – which both dogs were quick to lap up and demand to be refilled. After such was done, Jason collapsed on one of the beds, relishing in the comfort it brought along his spine.

Just as a nap tempted its way into his thoughts, his phone rang. That soft but vibrant ringtone which has had the ability to wake him from a dead sleep, thrummed from his pocket.

Groaning, he slipped it out, rolled his eyes at the caller ID, and answer.

“Yes, B?” He said briskly, not overly thrilled in dealing with his father.

“Jason,” Was the blunt reply – as per usual. “Where’s Damian?”

Of course, the boy rolled his eyes, brows notching into an irritated glare.

“Safe,” He snapped. “And I’m fine too, by the way. In case you cared.”

There was an exhausted sigh on the other end. “Of course I care-“

“When you answer the phone as if I’m a kidnapper selling your son for ransom, it doesn’t really feel like you actually do.”

“Jay-“

“I don’t wanna hear. He’s fine. I’ll have him back at the manor by tonight. So don’t get your granny panties in a bunch.”

There was another sigh over the phone, and Jason imagined his father pinching the bridge of his nose in agitation. “Thank you-“

“Don’t bother-“

“-for taking him out.” Bruce finished. “Believe it or not, but the two of us, Damian and I, appreciate it.”

Jason, an individual who wasn’t ever at a loss of words – always having something to say – was silent. Sputtering for something, an insult or quip usually at the tip of his tongue, was gone and floating in the empty air above him.

Luckily, his father filled it for him. “And Alfred thanks you for taking care of the dogs. Says it saved him a mess to come home to.”

“Yeah...” Jason cleared his throat as soon as the words sounded scratchy against his throat. “Yeah, tell Alf it’s no problem.”

“Have a safe flight home. I’ll see you both tonight.”

The boy hummed, not wanting to give anything away if he allowed words to tumble from his lips. Bruce gave the same response and both of them hung up, Jason staring at his phones screen with mixed expressions.

The bathroom door opened, reveling a greaseless, pajama clad younger brother. “Hey, you don’t shine anymore.” Jason piped.

Damian had no problems whipping him a wet towel.

 With damp hair and fresh clothes, the four packed up, loaded the Jeep and headed back to Grand Junction.

The drive itself was eventless, the dogs found comfort in the backseat, sleeping on the cool leather as the weekend exhausted them. Exploring new sights and smells, jumping, running, and playing with one another made for an exciting time – however tiring it may have been.

The boy’s themselves, were quiet. Occasionally turn up the radio to a good song or slipping into casual conversation with little bickering. The rest of the time was spent in comfortable silence.

As the last leg of the trip putter down, the sun was casting warm colors across the purpling sky. Settling across the mesas and flickering across the fiery paint that decorated their car.

Jason’s reminded of the colors that splashed the pages of The Great Gatsby. The ones that flooded dreams and illustrated parties. He wonders if the colors that flood the sky above, represent anything like they do in literature. If the reds portray love and passion, rather that anger and power. Would those yellows and oranges mean joy and happiness, rather than the remembrance of bad memories and mistakes.

He thinks about the setting sun itself, how in most stories and poems it could be the turn of a new day, new memories to come. To close the book of the past and open the one to the future.

Being as lost in thought as he became, he hadn’t realized they’ve made it to the air strip, the wing of the jet peering from behind the building beyond the parking lot.

Slipping into a spot and shifting the vehicle into park, he pulled the keys and jostled his brother into wakefulness. Damian grumbled, lifting his head to gander around before giving into a yawn – arms stretching toward the ceiling.

“We’re here,” Jason singsonged with a grin as his brother looked at him with a groggy glare.

“I noticed.” Came the retort.

Jason rolled his eyes, hopped out of the car – both purebreds racing out right behind him – and proceeded to grab their bags. Damian followed, single backpack in hand, then followed the elder toward the building.

After more papers were signed, keys returned, jet loaded and every settled they headed back to Gotham, lulled to sleep by the thrum of the two engines.

It was well past the end of patrol when the four of them made it home, trying to keep the squeal of the door as quiet as possible. Titus hadn’t made it easy when he shimmied through, almost ripping the door out of the younger’s hand.

Titus turned around with a huff, bony tail thudding against the the stairs railing.

“Shh!” Damian snapped, finger to his lips as he attempted to silence the canine.

Unfortunately, it only made him wag his tail harder, the sound thrumming through the first half of the house.

Jason gave a sigh, closing and locking the door behind him. Just when he was about to tell his brother his attempts were futile, the hairs along the back of his neck stood on end and he was whipping his head toward the sitting room on his right.

Lounging in the soft glow of a lamp, was Bruce, book in hand, glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. He was looking up at both of them, a gentle expression in his eyes.

“Welcome back,” He said in a slight whisper, courteous of the manors sleeping residents. “How was the trip back?”

“Fine.” Jason responded, voice a little too quipped and he cringed, the attempted to remedy his words. “It was fine. We were asleep most of the time anyways.”

Bruce hummed in acknowledgement. “Your rooms ready if you want to stay, if not, your bikes in the garage.”

Jason gave a nod and opened his mouth to say something but Damian beat him to it.

“Father, I would like to go camping again, and I would prefer it if Todd came along as well.”

His brother snapped his attention down, eyes slightly wide and incredulous. His mouth sputtering to say something against that but a smile, a genuine smile, blossomed across Bruce’s face. He gave a nod, looking to his youngest than second oldest – a touch of pride in the crows feet at the corner of his eyes.

“You know, I think we could make that happen. If he’s up for it.”