Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jason Todd lay awake, reading in bed in the early hours of a Saturday morning in Gotham City. His sleep schedule was often erratic at best, so this was hardly an unusual occurrence. As a matter of fact, he found nights like this rather peaceful and pleasant in their own way.

Jason had spent the entirety of the night before awake and patrolling the streets and rooftops of Gotham as the Red Hood, and had spent the subsequent day catching up on missed sleep. He had briefly considered another night of patrol, but his husband had forbidden it. So Jason now found himself awake in bed, using a discrete pair of night-vision goggles to read a book of Brazilian poetry, while his husband Roy Harper, AKA Red Arrow, slept soundly beside him.

Jason and Roy’s story was certainly an unusual tale of romance, even by the standards set by the strange lives they led. Both young men had once been relatively happy-go-lucky sidekicks to iconic superheroes; Roy had been Speedy, the Green Arrow’s ward, and Jason had been Batman’s second Robin. At the time, the two had only been casual acquaintances at best. In fact, Roy had been much closer friends with Jason’s adopted older brother, Dick. However, life soon took a turn for the worst for the two young heroes…

Roy had struggled with substance abuse and addiction, which had almost destroyed his relationship with his mentor. He abandoned the moniker of Speedy, and traveled the world as a mercenary, trying to find some sense of purpose to his life. On his journey, Roy fell in love with an assassin named Jade Nguyen, AKA Cheshire. It wasn’t long before Roy and Jade had a child together; a baby girl named Lian. But the love between the archer and the assassin was not to last, as Jade realized that she could neither lead, nor abandon her assassin lifestyle, without endangering her child. And so, Roy found himself thrown into the chaos of raising a child on his own, at the meager age of 18.

Jason, on the other hand, had suffered tragedies even more bizarre and terrible than what Roy had endured. After being brutally murdered by the Joker, Jason had been painfully brought back to life by the League of Shadows, leading to a long recovery to regain his memories, only to discover that his friends and family had seemingly moved on without him. The pain of both his death and resurrection, coupled with his feelings of abandonment had almost pushed Jason over the edge of sanity. He turned to life as a violent antihero, lashing out at the criminal underworld with all the fury of vengeance, the passion of grief, and the skill of a student of the Batman. It took the combined love and support of his entire adoptive family and friends to even begin his rehabilitation.

Needless to say, it had been a rough few years for the two of them, but Jason eventually found a close friend in Roy. The archer knew a thing or two about feeling abandoned and lost after so much trauma, and had been one of Jason’s guiding lights out of the darkness. In turn, Jason had helped Roy realize that he still had purpose, as well as helped him with raising little Lian.

Over time, their friendship turned to romance and, eventually, marriage. The Harper-Todd wedding was an entirely different story in and of itself. While it was a relatively small affair for a union of two famous vigilantes, both husbands had plenty of stories to tell about everything that happened before, during and after their big day.

As Jason thought more about these events in their lives that had brought them together, he found himself losing interest in his book and just wanted to be with Roy. He set the book and goggles down on the nightstand, and lay down to snuggle with his husband. Despite being taller than Roy, Jason often preferred to be the little spoon, resting his head against Roy’s bare chest to hear his heartbeat.

Jason closed his eyes and smiled. He heard Roy murmur something in his slumber, and soon felt the archer’s arm around his shoulder, pulling him into a warm embrace. It had always surprised Jason that Roy was able to show such love and warmth hugging with just one limb.

After losing his right arm in a battle, five years prior, Roy had become quite adept at doing everything one-handed. Even after he had been given a cybernetic arm, with enhanced strength, durability and incredibly lifelike dexterity, Roy preferred to not have to rely on his prosthesis too much.

“Morning Red,” Roy said softly in the dark, kissing the top of his husband’s head.

“Morning Red.” Jason said back, a small smile on his lips. With Red in both of their code names, it had become an inside joke to both use it as a pet name. “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“Nah…” The archer said with a sigh, “Phantom pain had me awake for a while, anyway...”

Jason sighed. “You dumbass!” He sat up so he could face Roy in the dark. “I’ve been laying here reading for an hour, why didn’t you say anything?”

Roy looked away, muttering something about not wanting to bother Jason.

Jason sighed and shook his head. “You can’t just grit your teeth and bear it through all your problems, Roy. Here.” Jason gently reached out and softly began massaging the aching limb just above the mechanical joint where the prosthetic connected when in use. “The least I can do is help work out the pain, then maybe one of us can get a full night's sleep.”

Roy groaned pleasantly, leaning into his husband’s expert hands. After just a single minute of the massage, he was already fighting not to yawn. Maybe he could get back to sleep for a little while… Suddenly, a sudden high-pitched yell came from the room next to theirs, and all thought of sleep instantly left both men.

“Lian!” Roy cried out, jumping out of bed, instantly awake. He ran through the dark to their closed bedroom door and out into the dimly lit hall, with Jason right behind him, pausing to grab a baseball bat (he liked to call it the Bat-Bat) he kept under the bed in case of intruders.

Roy rushed into his daughter’s room first and was immediately relieved to see she wasn’t hurt. No intruders, no broken windows, no supervillains trying to snatch her from a portal under her bed. Considering the life they led, all those things were very real possibilities. However, even with no visible threats, Lian was sitting up in her bed looking very shaken.

Feeling much calmer already, Roy subtly motioned to Jason to put the bat down before approaching the bed, kneeling to get on their daughter’s level. “Lian. Is everything ok, sweetie?”

Lian was trying to slow her ragged breathing, she even managed a small smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m fine, dad. It’s ok. Just… Just a little nightmare, that’s all.”

Jason quietly approached the other side of the bed. “Do you want to talk about it, ninjinha?” He said, using one of his stepdaughter’s favorite Portuguese nicknames, which translated to “little ninja”.

Lian let out a small nervous laugh but avoided eye-contact with either of her parents. “Nah… It’s fine.” She shook her head, “It was just something dumb… I don’t even know why I yelled.”

Roy and Jason exchanged a look. Lian was obviously hiding something, and it probably wouldn’t help to ignore it. Roy decided to approach the subject delicately. The child had her own traumas after all.

On the day when Roy had lost his arm, Prometheus (the villain responsible) had also bombed Star City and all but demolished the Harpers’ household. Jason had been on hand to watch Lian that day, and the two had suddenly found themselves trapped under tons of rubble for several hours.

It could have been the end for them on that day, if Jason had not had previous experience with being trapped in a collapsing building, and had hurried Lian and himself under a sturdy table right at the last second before the whole apartment came down. But despite Jason’s quick thinking and heroism, the experience had still been undeniably harrowing for Lian, and even after five years, nightmares were still common.

“Is there anything you need, pumpkin?” Roy asked, taking her hand in his. Lian shook her head again, but only a little, gripping her dad’s hand as tight as she could, the body language expressing the distress she wouldn’t let come out in words.

Jason kept a little distance away from his stepchild. She could feel claustrophobic at times ever since the incident, and while he loved Lian dearly, he felt it was more important to just let Roy be close to her now.

“It’s uh… a bit stuffy in here, don’t you think, Roy?” Jason asked, giving him an understanding look. “Why don’t I let some fresh air in?” He suggested, knowing that the sight and sounds of the outside world might help calm Lian’s nerves. He moved across the bedroom to open the window.

The current Harper-Todd residence was situated in the same grounds as St. Aden's Children’s Home in Gotham, and shared a large garden/playground with the site. This made it easier for the whole family to sit on the window seat, and enjoy the view without being overwhelmed by the noise and smell of Gotham’s streets. Lian’s bedroom actually had quite the view for a Gotham apartment. It provided a clear view of the horizon, which was glowing with the slightest hint of the coming sunrise.

Roy and Lian came and sat down opposite Jason. Lian smiled softly at Jason from her father’s lap, which was all the gratitude Jason needed. He knew what it was like to be a young teen, unsure about asking for help. Lian was nearly 14 now, and sometimes wanted to be more than just daddy’s little angel. Still, in times such as these, the young archer-in-training was willing to make an exception.

The three of them sat in silence for a moment, just watching the sun rise. After a minute, the young girl spoke in a faint whisper. “I was alone… in Star City…” That was all she had to say for both adults to know exactly what her nightmare had been. “I keep thinking… what would have happened if I had been alone?” The young hero just kept staring out to the horizon, as if she was speaking this hard truth to an empty room. “It happened so long ago. I don’t know why I’m still thinking about it…”

“Lian…” Roy spoke softly, gripping her shoulder a little tighter, “You survived something that day that no kid should ever have to endure. Sometimes, a shock like that never fully goes away. But it doesn’t make you, or anyone else, a weaker person for acknowledging or talking about those feelings.”

She leaned in, resting her head on her dad’s chest but saying nothing. The poor little spitfire always tried to be more of an adult than she actually was, but sometimes it was nice to just be a kid, and sink into the comfort of her dad’s embrace.

“I still have nightmares about the Lazarus pit…” Jason said eventually. “And the Joker… That was literally a lifetime ago.” He gave a faint smile at what was almost a morbid pun. “That's why I don’t sleep as much as I should. But let me tell you from experience hun. Hiding those fears only makes them worse.”

Lian turned her head to look up at her stepdad, recognizing that he was trying his best to share his own pain with her. “How about… I’m more honest about my fears if you are too? Deal?”

“Deal.” Both dads and their child said together, smiling as the sun peeked over the horizon, bathing the family in warm light.

“Daddy?” Lian turned her gaze back to her father, “What about you? What are you afraid of?”

“Anything happening to either of you two.” Roy said, smiling softly at his daughter and husband. “Well, that or any family get-together where Ollie brings that chili that only he likes. That stuff’s lethal!” They all got a bit of a laugh out of that, helping to dispel the lingering fear from the nightmare the same way they did anything; together.

________________________________________________________________

With all of them wide awake, and not much hope of any of them getting back to sleep, Jason, Roy and Lian all decided it was better to just start their daily routines a little earlier than usual.

Though Jason and Roy weren’t quite as active vigilantes as they had been in previous years, they always worked hard to stay prepared and in shape. Today that meant a family run on the treadmills followed by yoga to stretch out the muscles.

“I might need to up my cardio again.” Jason said, catching a glimpse of his midriff in the mirror as he jogged, and noticing the beginnings of a muffin top where there had once been a six-pack. Cutting back on vigilante-based exercise and a love for Big Belly Burger would do that to a man.

“Hey, a dad bod would suit you!” Roy chuckled from Jason’s left. “They say men who constantly maintain a bodybuilder look sacrifice actual fitness for aesthetics. Real strength comes from being both muscular and chubby!”

“Hey, is it true Grandpa Bruce does like 6 hours of exercise a day?” Lian asked, having already finished her quick run, and making a start on her yoga. She found it easier to concentrate without her dads shamelessly flirting, so a change of subject was just what she needed.

“He definitely used to.” Jason said, smiling. “It was murder on me trying to keep up with him, back when I wore the tights. I’m not sure if he’s still as excessive about it now.”

“I don’t think so. Damian would be taller if he worked out that much.” Lian said, stopping to get a drink of water.

Jason almost choked on his own drink laughing, and even Roy smiled as he tried to be an adult. “Lian, we told you to be nice about your uncle.” It was a losing battle though, not helped by the fact Jason was still laughing. “Jay, it wasn’t that funny.”

“No no! I’m laughing about something else! Hear me out!” Jason said, composing himself just barely. “They say too much strenuous exercise at a young age can stunt your growth! It’s the other way around from what Lian said! Damian’s a shorty because he’s secretly jacked from Bruce’s workout routines!”

The mental image of Damian, the diminutive diva, built like Bane under his uniform was enough to make Roy let out a bark of a laugh before he could stop himself.

“Hey! How come it’s ok for you two to laugh at him but I can’t?” Lian asked indignantly.

“Sorry ninjinha! I have big brother privilege over Damian.” Jason said, before turning to Roy. “But you should really be setting a better example, Roy! For shame! Mocking that poor child for his appearance.” He shook his head and tutted in an exaggerated tone.

Roy rolled his eyes and smiled, as his husband and daughter had a good laugh. Why did the two most important people in his life have to be such smartasses? Before he could come up with a witty response however, a voice suddenly called into the gym from the main door.

“Yoo hoo! Mr. Todd? Mr. Harper?” Jason, Roy and Lian all turned to see the home’s assistant manager, Alice Finger smiling and waving to them. “I knew I’d find you three in here.”

Alice was a plump cheerful woman of color, with braided hair tied up in a fashionable bun; a significant departure from the habited look she'd worn in the past. The ex-nun, formerly known as Sister Alice, had lived on the grounds longer than any of the other current employees. She had worked at St. Aden’s back when it was still run by the local church, during the orphanage’s less reputable days. That was all before Bruce Wayne and the press had found out just how certain kids had been treated, and after an investigation, the orphanage had been taken over by the Wayne Foundation, along with some charitable contributions from Queen Consolidated. Most of the nuns working there had been reassigned to other convents and orphanages where the Church felt they could do the most good.

However, Sister Alice chose to defrock and stay behind rather than leave Gotham. It hadn’t exactly been a difficult decision. She had joined the sisters, not out of any genuine piety, but because she felt it was an easy excuse to her hyper-Catholic parents why she had never shown interest in dating boys. She had hoped to meet more girls like herself, and possibly even a similarly minded girlfriend in the convent, but alas to no avail.

Needless to say, her parents hadn’t been too happy to learn about the new management of the orphanage and their daughter’s subsequent defrocking. But Alice had stood her ground, making it clear to them that she wouldn’t abandon the children in her care. To her surprise, they had actually relented and allowed her to continue working there, not even getting angry at the fact that her new bosses were two queer men. Perhaps there was hope for them after all…

“I’ve just been sorting out breakfast for the early risers.” Alice said, brandishing a clipboard with the day’s schedule, as Jason and Roy made their way off the treadmills. “Jason, you’re on duty with me today while Roy’s out.”

“How’s our day looking?” Jason asked, wiping his brow down with a sweat towel.

“Not bad. No planned parental visits today, just meals, self-defense lessons, craft time and movie night. The kids still need to vote on what to watch.” She read off, looking at a clipboard resting against her arm.

“Aw shoot! Self-defense is today?” Jason said, trying not to swear. It would of course be the day Roy was going to be out and unable to help. "I meant to reschedule that…"

“I can stay if you need me…” Roy began to offer, knowing full well that the kids could be a lot to handle with just two adults and a few teenagers assisting.

“Don’t you dare!” Jason cut him off, raising a gentle hand to stop him. “Days like this are too important for you and Lian. Alice and I can handle the kids for one session.”

“We can?” Alice asked before she could stop herself, changing her tune very quickly when she saw a brief side eye from Jason. “I mean, yes! Of course, we can!” She may have lacked the same kinds of life experience that her new employers had, but she was still a single woman living in Gotham City and knew a thing or two about staying safe in such a place. She and Jason could at least keep the little ones well behaved.

“Yeah dad! You know I can’t go alone!" Lian even gave her father a little bit of pouting lip. It always worked on him when she was little, and it still worked now.

Roy smiled. “Okay okay, I'm sure they'll manage without us." He ruffled Lian's hair. "How could I resist emotional blackmail as strong as yours, huh?"

Lian shrugged. "Eh, that was nothing. You're not strong enough to withstand my full potential!" She grinned mischievously, before skipping away to get ready for her day out.

Roy made his way to follow her out, before turning back to Jason and Alice. “You sure you two will be okay without me? I could call Ollie to ask if he could take Lian instead…”

Jason shook his head. “Not a chance. You are going to let us handle things today and that’s final!” He put a hand on Roy’s shoulder. “You need this, Roy. Both you and Lian.”

Roy finally relented and smiled. “Okay, you win. Just don’t cause too much mayhem while we’re out.” He realized as he said it that asking Jason to keep things nice and quiet in Gotham City was like asking the same of a bull in a china shop, but he could at least hope for a level of chaos that they could manage.

“We’ll be fine, Roy.” Alice said reassuringly. “The kids are a lot better behaved than they used to be, and you know I’ve dealt with some pretty unique cases myself in the past.”

“Yeah, we can manage them just fine!” Jason grinned. “You run along and have a nice day out. I’ll even look the other way if you skip yoga!”

Roy leaned over to share a kiss with Jason, effectively shutting him up, before thanking Alice and making his way out of the gym. Out in the corridor, he could already hear Lian chatting with some of the other kids in the home, telling them all about their plans for the day. He smiled as he made his way upstairs to get ready for their day out. Truth be told, the plans made for the day were more for Lian’s benefit than anyone else, but Roy was content enough to see his daughter happy. After all, visits to Stryker’s weren’t easy to arrange, and Roy would hate to keep Lian’s mother waiting…

Chapter Text

Visiting one’s ex can be awkward at even the best times, but for Roy Harper, this could not have been a bigger understatement!

“Next!” The guard called, motioning for Roy and Lian to step forward and through the metal detector at the visitors center of Stryker’s Island Penitentiary on the outskirts of Metropolis. Lian went first, followed by her father, who allowed the guard to pat him down when his prosthesis inevitably set off the detector. He was fairly used to the ordeal at this point, being a frequent visitor at this location.

Jade Nguyen, Roy’s ex, and Lian’s mother, was better known to most as the internationally infamous assassin and mercenary, Cheshire. Such a lifestyle made it difficult for Lian to be able to see her mother, and things had only gotten more complicated about two years prior, when Jade had gotten herself thrown in prison for a multitude of severe charges.

“This way, dad!” Lian called, a little excited and running a bit in front of her father, almost forgetting that they were technically inside a maximum-security facility. Lian wasn’t the type of girl to usually be bothered by that sort of thing. She was too excited by the prospect of seeing her mom.

Despite regretting a great number of things in his past, Roy couldn’t bring himself to entirely regret his time with Cheshire. After all, it was thanks to Jade that Roy now had Lian in his life. Regardless of her past and many, many crimes, he owed Jade for her. As such, they came to visit her in prison as often as they could.

In the visitors’ room, four security officers stood against the walls, with two guarding each door. Once Roy and Lian had taken their seats behind the plexiglass dividing wall, there was the familiar buzz of the opening lock. Lian sat up taller as her mother was led in, managing to still look beautiful and in control, despite the orange jumpsuit and the cheap hair tie that pulled back her long, full black hair.

“Hi mom!” The young archer called and waved before Jade had even gotten to her seat.

“Hello my little Lotus Flower!” Jade said with just as much enthusiasm as her daughter. “How are you dear? Has your father been feeding you enough?”

“Jade.” Roy warned half-heartedly. He honestly didn’t mind the questions, but their time was limited.

“What?” Jade said with a devilish grin. “You know better than anyone, Roy. If I hear any hint that our girl isn’t happy, I’m breaking out and coming for you.” She pointed a warning finger at her ex, putting her hand down when the guard on her side of the glass cleared her throat as a subtle warning to stay away from certain topics.

“Mom, what happened to your nails?!” Lian said, not taking the threat seriously for a moment, and looking in shock at her mother’s freshly cut short, unpainted fingernails.

Jade sighed, looking at both of her hands, “New policy they started last week. Warden wants nails kept short, so no one claws each other. I think it was because of something Cheetah did…”

“That stinks! They were so pretty!” Lian cried out at the outrage.

“And they were functional too,” Jade said with a smirk. “But they’ll grow back in time. I’m more annoyed that the guards confiscated my favorite nail polish too.”

Roy felt the need to speak up at that. “That’s because most of your polishes are venomous, Jade!”

“Just a minor detail!” The assassin smirked, waving the comment off. “I had a lovely shade of red with Copperhead venom in it that was so bright and vibrant!”

“When you say Copperhead, do you mean the reptile or the evil snake woman?” Roy asked curiously.

Jade shrugged and smiled, not meeting her ex’s eyes, “Hey, I don’t ask about your dork in the silly helmet, Roy! I don’t need to tell you about anyone I may or may not be spending time with…”

“Mom, be nice to Jason! He’s cool!” Lian scolded her gently.

Jade only smiled; happy her child was doing so well. “I’m sure he is. Oh, just for the record Roy, my remark from earlier about Lian’s happiness, pass it on to him too.”

“Miss Nguyen…” The guard warned her a second time. One more and they’d end the session early.

“I know, I know…” Jade sighed, not that she really meant the threat this time. She would never admit it out loud, but for what Jason had done on that fateful day in Star City, Jade knew that she owed him the world.

“You shouldn’t need us to remind you about the conditions of this visit, Nguyen.” said one of the other guards on Roy’s side of the glass. This one was male, and both Roy and Lian recognized him, but it was best for them both not to address that in their current location.

“I’m aware! Tell Amanda not to get her panties in a bunch.” Jade grumbled, looking up straight into a security camera on the wall behind Roy.

“Waller?! Is she here?” Roy mouthed the question, not wanting to say it out loud. If Amanda Waller was watching, she was definitely listening.

Jade wasn’t as concerned with staying on her de facto boss’s good side. Good manners were pretty worthless in Waller’s books. She only cared about skills and results. “Even if she isn’t here, she’s still definitely watching. Last I heard, she wanted me for the latest assignment of the… “Task force”.”

She mimed quotation marks around those last two words, and Roy immediately knew what she was referring to. Amanda Waller was the mastermind behind the infamous Task Force X, AKA the Suicide Squad; a government-funded black-ops team, consisting largely of convicted supervillains. The Squad’s missions often involved a great deal of danger, peril, moral ambiguity and, above all else, secrecy. So of course, they were pretty well known among both the superhero, and supervillain, communities.

Roy had personally crossed paths with the team a few times in his career and knew enough to know that the dangerous missions were no joke. The team’s name wasn’t just for show, and quite a few big names had met a grisly demise working for Amanda Waller for the chance at a reduced sentence.

“It’s been good work so far, not that different from my normal jobs.” Jade continued. “Just more risk and less satisfaction, but I get the impression she’s trying to warm me up for something bigger.”

“Are you saying you’ve done work for her recently?” Roy asked in a hushed tone.

“How do you think I got moved out of Belle Reve?” Cheshire said with a grin worthy of her namesake. “Little perk for a job well done. I wanted to be closer to Lian, so I asked to be moved to Blackgate. Sadly, they knew I’d broken out of there before, so they sent me here instead. But hey, it’s still closer than Belle Reve. Cleaner too.”

“That last place was gross!” Lian agreed. The infamous maximum-security prison of Belle Reve might have been a nicer facility than, say Arkham Asylum, but that was like comparing an open sewer to a pit of poisonous snakes. Even Lian hated it from the few times she had visited. Stryker’s, on the other hand, was the perfect middle ground. A little more comfortable, a lot cleaner, and much easier for Jade’s family to make more frequent visits. Sure, it would be harder to break out of when all the security systems worked and the guards were less corrupt, but nothing was perfect.

“Hey, that reminds me!” Lian reached into her pocket and pulled out a large piece of folded paper. “I decided on my Halloween costume for this year! I wanted to show it to you!”

“Going as Speedy again are you, hun? Or maybe Black Canary this year?” Jade asked, smirking at her ex as she watched her child upfold and undo the creases of the paper before flipping it over and holding it to the glass. On the page was a rough sketch… of Cheshire herself.

The assassin was almost too stunned to speak. “You’re going as me?” She hoped she didn’t sound too choked up. She had a reputation to uphold!

“Yep! Your mask is so cool and scary! It’s perfect!” Lian was beaming proudly. “I still have time to work out all the details, but I wanted your opinion, mom.”

It took all of Jade’s training as a ruthless assassin to not start shedding tears of pride in that moment. She forced herself to remain calm, promising herself she would allow time to cry when she got back to her cell, before answering Lian.

“Of course, darling!” Jade said, briefly hiding her face from Lian’s sight behind the paper so she had time to recover her poise. “Hmm… Coloring should be mostly green with gold accents if you are going for one of my flashier looks. Maybe even give it the long flowing sleeves that you can hide your hands in! Costumes can be a little more fun if you know what you’re doing. Doesn’t all have to be practical…”

Roy and Jade shared a smile as Lian went on, talking about how she was going to wear long fake nails to finish the costume. How she had wanted to be armed with metal claws, or maybe even a pair of sai, but her school wouldn’t allow them. Jade knew it was moments like these that she was missing out on every day from the moment she had left Lian with Roy. But she also knew that nothing in the world was more important to her than her daughter’s health and happiness. Which is why she had entrusted her to Roy. Jade knew that Lian would always be much safer and happier in Roy’s world than hers…

“Time’s up, Nguyen.” The female guard said eventually, approaching Jade on her side of the plexiglass.

“Hey, can’t you give them another moment?” asked the male guard from earlier. He actually sounded slightly indignant, even though the visit had reached its scheduled time limit.

“No. Warden’s orders.” The female guard said firmly as she moved to pull Jade up from her seat.

“Wait, can I just make one request first?” Jade asked as politely as she could.

“We can’t promise you anything, but we’ll hear you out.” Said the male guard, before his fellow officer could respond. “What is it Nguyen?”

“Please, may I be allowed to give my daughter a hug?”

The guards seemed a little surprised by the request. “I don’t know about that…” The female guard said with a brief hesitation. The rules were very strict about physical contact between certain inmates and visitors…

“Waller!!!” Jade yelled, glaring up directly into the nearest security camera. “Let me hug my daughter and you have me for the Santa Prisca job! Deal?” It was a bold move. Any topics related to Task Force X and its boss weren’t normally meant to be discussed openly… and yet…

There was a buzz and a door between the plexiglass barrier unlocked. “Ten seconds. Don’t try anything cute.” A familiar stern voice spoke over the intercom. Staring at it in disbelief, Roy gently guided Lian to the door. The female guard put her hand on her stun gun in case Jade tried anything as Lian made her way to the divide.

Mother and daughter stared at each other for a few precious seconds before embracing as tight and long as they could. Both of them often worked hard to look tough. But at this moment, they gave each other permission to cry.

“Time’s up.” The voice over the speaker said again. Roy was surprised, as Waller had actually given the pair 20 seconds. It certainly wasn’t like her to be generous. He silently hoped this wasn’t part of some twisted chess game that Waller was playing, but anything was possible when she was involved.

“Now Lian,” Jade spoke quickly as she was led back to the other side of the plexiglass wall, “I might not be here for your visit next month. It all depends on how long this next job takes. But don’t worry about me, Lotus flower, I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Ok mom… I love you.” Lian said, gripping her father’s hand tight as her mother was cuffed and escorted to the door.

“I love you too Lian! Be a good girl and behave for your father! And Roy, you behave for Lian!” With that last comment, Jade had reached the end of the guard’s patience. She was roughly pushed through to the cell block, the door closing and sealing loudly behind them.

The remaining security officer who had stood up for Jade stepped forward. He allowed Roy and Lian to have a moment of silence together before picking up Lian’s drawing from the table and gently handing it back to her. “Hey kid…” said Rick Flagg, slowly. “Look… If I can do anything to help your mom in the field, I promise I will.” He spoke softly, earning a smile from the young girl.

“Thanks Mr. Flagg.” Lian said, feeling safer to acknowledge him now that no other guards were present. Colonel Rick Flagg Jr. was the tough battle-hardened commanding officer who oversaw the Suicide Squad on many of their missions. While he was known by many as a rough no-nonsense soldier, Flagg had against all odds developed some compassion for some of the convicts he worked with, especially those with families.

When he wasn’t on a mission, Flagg could often be found hanging around facilities such as these, keeping a watchful eye on any inmates that his bosses were considering for the Task Force. It wasn't much of a surprise that Roy and Lian had encountered him here acting as a prison guard.

Flagg walked Lian and Roy to the door. “Cheshire’s not gonna have a good time tonight though,” he said at a volume he hoped only Roy could hear, the secrecy not as vital now they were alone, “Waller will want to know how she knew about Santa Prisca.”

“Not that hard to figure out.” Roy shrugged. “Supergirl probably did Waller a favor back when she took out Bane. With him locked up, I bet all kinds of shifty folks have got their sights set on that island.”

When they reached the exit, Roy extended his metal hand to shake the colonel’s. “Take care of her, and yourself, Flagg.” He said, and the two men gave a quick nod of mutual respect. Roy then made his way out with Lian’s hand in his, out through the visitors entrance and down the path to the ferry.

While both Harpers knew that Jade had just signed herself up for more danger, they both couldn’t help feeling a little jealous. Whatever mission she was given was bound to be an exciting adventure, and a desire for such things clearly ran in the family. Shrugging it off, Roy smiled at his daughter as they rode the ferry back across the bay. He already had the greatest adventure of his life sitting right beside him, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Come on, Squirt!” Roy said with a grin. “I reckon we deserve the best ice cream in Metropolis!”

Chapter Text

Back at St Aden's, the self defense class had finished with the minimal amount of problems. The biggest issue had been the expected fit of giggles among the kids when Jason had listed the groin as a weak spot. They were laughing so much that even Alice got infected and tried ineffectively to hide her smile.

Now that the class was over, the kids had some time to play outside before dinner. Jason and Alice watched from a nearby bench, just in case adult intervention was needed. The kids always had a bad habit of trying to use the self defense tricks on each other immediately after learning them.

“I have to say Mr. Todd, I love what you and your husband have done with this place.” Alice smiled as she watched the children run, yell and play.

“Alice, I’ve told you before you can call me Jason. But yeah, I agree. It’s great that these kids just get to be kids, y’know?” Jason’s own childhood before he had even become Robin hadn’t really been ideal by any standards. An abusive dad killed by mobsters, a stepmom who overdosed, months living in foster care and even out on the streets by the time Batman found him. Jason was glad to do his part to make sure none of the kids under his care ever had to experience that kind of life.

“Back when the nuns ran this place, things were certainly quieter, maybe even a bit cleaner…” Alice chuckled, as she observed a few of the younger kids playing in a muddy puddle. “But the kids were never this… well, happy!”

Jason smirked, “I’m telling Roy you don’t like our house keeping. He’ll be devastated!”

“Oh no, I actually think it’s better for the kids this way.” Alice said quickly. “They used to try and keep this place looking so pristine and presentable that the kids never had the chance to really have fun and, like you said, be kids! It was like living in a showroom some days. You two have actually made the place look lived in!”

“Thanks Alice,” Jason laughed, “I’ll keep that in mind next time Bruce says anything about how we run this place.” Not that Bruce ever would. He knew how much Jason needed to succeed on his own, and how much he cared for these kids already.

“Back off, loser!” came a small voice from the other end of the playground. The adults looked up when they heard the sign of a fight starting. Over by the sandpit, a small crowd seemed to be gathering to watch the spectacle.

“I got this one.” Jason said, making his way across the playground to see just what was up. As he approached, he recognized three angry-looking children who seemed to be at the center of everyone’s gaze. Bobby Conway and his younger brother, Adam, often got along pretty well with Billy Robinson, a 2nd grader obsessed with Batman and other local heroes. However, as Jason approached, the three kids looked as if they were ready to throw hands and not hold back. Jason thought it was best to intervene.

“Hey kids!” Jason called out in a friendly jovial tone to clearly announce his presence. The ring of kids dispersed a little to make room for him, but only a few of them left. This still promised to be a good show. “Whatcha doin’ over here, guys?” This was probably just a petty squabble that would be easy to resolve, so Jason was happy to take the diplomatic approach. He never liked having to raise his voice at the kids.

Bobby, as the oldest, stepped forward, “We wanted to play Batman and Robin but Billy won’t be the Joker!”

“I don’t wanna be the Joker!” Billy snapped. “I wanna be Batman!”

“You always get to be Batman!” Bobby snapped back. “Besides, Adam’s gonna be my Robin! It only makes sense for me to be Batman!”

Jason put his hands up for quiet, used to these sorts of disagreements. “Hold on a minute!” Once the boys had stopped arguing he focused on Adam who had been quiet through this whole thing. “Adam, who do you want to play?”

Bobby started to interrupt, “But he’s my…”

“Did you ask him if he wanted to be Robin?”

Bobby paused and shook his head.

“I thought not. So what about it Adam? Who do you want to be?”

The young boy, usually pretty quiet muttered “I don’t wanna be Robin… and I don’t want to fight the Joker. He scares me.”

“Well who else would Batman and Robin fight?” Billy says, sounding annoyed.

“Don’t worry about that, Adam. The Joker scares me too sometimes.” Jason thought for a moment and smiled, picking up a small red plastic bucket from the sandbox and putting it on the young boy’s head. “Not Robin then. You’re the Red Hood.” He turned to the older boys. “And since no one wants to play the villain, that would make you two Batman and Nightwing. Is that better? You all get to be heroes.” He never liked to glamorize supervillains to these kids, especially not that particular villain.

“But who gets to be the bad guy?” Bobby asked, looking between his friends a little confused.

Jason grinned mischievously and reached into his jacket pocket and felt a knitted winter hat he had left in there from some months ago. He took out the wool hat and pulled it down hard enough to cover most of his face. He could still see, but not very well, as he struck a dramatic pose and called out in a deep, heavily (and badly) accented voice, “Beware heroes of Gotham! The mighty Bane has come to break your city again! Cower before me and my muscles! Nyeeeh!”

All three children burst out laughing and then sprung into action, dodging and ducking around Jason’s exaggerated slow movements as the other kids cheered for the heroes and booed the villain. “Remember the lesson from today boys! How do you take down a bigger opponent?” Jason called over the noise in his natural voice.

“Look for a weak spot!” Billy growled, in an amusing impression of Batman.

“Use your speed against him!” Bobby suggested, stumbling as he tried to cartwheel away from an attack, doing his best to capture Nightwing’s fighting style.

“You unbalance him!” Adam yelled with more confidence than anyone ever saw in the boy. The young “Red Hood” took advantage of his helmet and charged head first at Jason, smacking him in the kneecap with hard plastic and toppling him over. “Move! Get him now!”

Surprised but impressed, Bobby and Billy moved to pin Jason down. “We got him!”

“Curse you Red Hood! Your helmet is so much cooler than my silly mask!” Jason’s evil voice was breaking as he struggled not to laugh.

“Everything okay over here?” Alice had come around to check on the scuffle now that the crowd of kids had grown to include the entire playground to watch the fun.

“Ah! Commissioner, here to take me away I see?” Jason smirked, not wanting to drop the act. “No matter! No prison can hold Bane! Or Bane’s muscles!”

“Is that right Mr. Bane?” Alice asked, trying her best to look like a gruff police commissioner but only managed to scowl the way she did when playing pirates. “Take him away boys! It’s almost dinner, we’ll lock him up in the kitchens.”

“The kitchens!?” Fake Bane called in fake horror. “No! My one weakness! Curse you do-gooders! Nyeeeeeh!” He let out one last cry of badly accented distress as he allowed young Adam to lead the way, carting him off to his “holding cell” in the kitchen, where he could take off the mask and start making dinner for everyone.

________________________________________________________________

Roy and Lian returned home from Metropolis a little while later, just in time for dinner. They both helped pitch in setting the tables and serving out dinner to the kids before they got food ready for themselves.

“You sure we can’t get some Big Belly Burger tonight?” Jason asked with a sigh as he looked at his plate of baked chicken, brown rice and steamed vegetables. While Jason took pride in his culinary skills, there was only so much he could do when preparing so many different meals for this many kids. This healthy dinner wasn’t exactly up to his usual flavor standards, and he longed for something greasy and filling.

“We have to set a good example for the kids, Jason.” Roy reminded him as he gave Lian an extra scoop of green beans. “That goes double for you, Lian. We have to make up for that sundae you had earlier.”

“Awww, pleeeeease!” Both Jason and his daughter pouted at Roy, with matching sad faces. It was unclear if Jason had learned this technique from Lian or if Lian had learned from him. Neither of them were really picky eaters, but given the choice between chicken and vegetables or a burger and fries… Well, there wasn’t much of a contest there.

Roy sighed and rolled his eyes. “Maybe we can get takeout tomorrow. But tonight you have to eat this. We don’t waste food in this house, ok?”

“Okay,” Jason and Lian said in unison, conceding the point and knowing that they wouldn’t get a better deal out of him.

“You know, if you two keep pouting like that, I’m not gonna share the cookies I bought for movie night.” He said teasingly, pointing between the two of them with his fork. This was enough to perk them both up.

“Cookies for movie night?” Jason said with a grin. “What happened to setting a good example for the kids?”

“Hey, I can’t always let you be the fun dad. I can be spontaneous as well.” Roy said with a cheeky grin. “Besides, This new bakery just opened, and came highly recommended by our very own Colin Wilkes! They were very happy to take a bulk order for the kids.”

________________________________________________________________

As the evening went on, Jason recounted the story of “Bane and the Red Hood” that Roy and Lian had missed out on that afternoon, making them both laugh and smile. The family ate with a little more enthusiasm and quickly washed up to get ready for movie night. On a night as warm and clear as this, they had the children sit out in the courtyard and set up the movie projector on a large wall of the orphanage. The children had voted and had chosen to watch “Into the Spider-Verse” again. It may have been the 3rd time they had voted for it, but Roy was just grateful that something had finally distracted the kids from their Encanto craze. That had almost been enough to make him miss Moana and Elsa… Almost...

Small bags of popcorn were handed out, donated from the local theater, as well as the fresh baked cookies delivered by a rather large man, wearing a face mask and a surprisingly large coat, hat and shades. Jason was fairly confident he recognized this mysterious baker, but didn’t want to out him if he was doing good work. Once everyone had their snacks, Jason and Roy took their seats in the back of their improvised outdoor theater, both to get a little privacy and to better keep an eye on all the kids.

As the movie played, Jason held his husband’s hand and spoke softly in Roy’s ear. “How was Lian today?”

Roy smiled, watching his daughter among the other kids, more focused on her role as the honorary big sister than the movie. “She was amazing as always. Even Jade was a little choked up by how sweet she is. Oh, by the way, she threatened you again. Usual stuff, hurt Lian, lots of death, etc.”

“I really should come along next time you visit her.” Jason said with a smirk. “Your ex sounds like such a delight.” He actually meant that, having some lingering professional respect for Cheshire.

Roy let out a small sigh. “It might be a while before any of us get to see her again actually…”

Jason had a pretty good idea of what Roy meant. “Waller?”

“Waller.” Roy confirmed.

“Figures…” Jason nodded, having suspected Jade of working for Amanda ever since her transfer to Stryker’s. “I’ll talk to Barbara when I get the chance. Maybe she’ll be able to find someone who can help, or at least keep an eye on her.”

Roy smiled. “I’d appreciate that… As long as Jade doesn’t find out you’re secretly helping her.”

“We’ll try our best. We’re a quiet bunch after all.” Jason kissed his husband on the cheek and pulled him in a little tighter as they watched the movie and Lian’s good work with equal interest.

________________________________________________________________

It was the perfect way to cap off what had been a somewhat eventful day for the Harper-Todd household. By the time the film ended, it was already a little past the bedtimes for a few of the younger kids, but the adults had decided to make an exception for movie night. Once the credits rolled, Jason, Roy and Alice (who had agreed to work a later shift at the promise of cookies and a movie) quickly got all the kids inside and ready for bed. Lian helped make sure everyone was comfortable before Jason called lights out, and things were finally peaceful.

Soon after, once they had bid farewell to Alice and sent Lian off to bed, Jason and Roy collapsed onto the sofa in their personal quarters, separate from the rest of the children’s home. With most of their hero gear stored safely in a nearby safehouse, they actually had had room to make their living space feel more homely and welcoming. Not to mention, it was considerably larger than some of the grotty apartments Jason had previously lived in.

“So…” Roy said, turning to his husband. “How was today without me to help with the kids? Any major disasters happen while I was out?”

“Eh, not really…” said Jason. “Just the one minor supervillain attack, but I let the kids handle it. Their fighting skills are coming along nicely. Guess I really am a great self defense teacher!”

Roy chuckled. “Heh, that’s good to know. Me and Lian can’t always be here to defend you. It’s reassuring to know that you have an army of children to come to your rescue if you ever need help!”

“C’mon dude, that’s not fair! You’re making me sound like Bruce.” Jason laughed, playfully smacking Roy’s arm. “I can fight for myself without needing a sidekick. Or a robot arm for that matter!”

Roy scoffed playfully, putting on an exaggerated offended look. “Oh, you’re really gonna go there are you, zombie boy?” He sat up and leaned over so that he was face-to-face with Jason. “You got something to say, why not say it to my face?”

Jason grinned and gently pulled Roy’s collar so that their faces were mere inches apart. “Oh I can think of a few things I’d like to say…” He whispered, staring deep into his lover’s eyes. “And do…”

Their lips met as they both leaned heavily into the kiss, having reached an inevitable stalemate in their flirting war. The fact that their flirting had involved bringing up past traumas may have seemed anything but romantic to some, but that wasn’t the case for Jason and Roy. It was each their way of showing the other that they understood each other’s past, and were comfortable with the knowledge of what they had been through. They loved everything about each other, scars and all.

Roy was about to suggest they continue their activity in the bedroom, when he caught the unmistakable sound of a familiar voice muttering “Blech!” coming right from outside the door.

“Lian! Why are you still awake?!” Roy called, annoyed at the interruption but also hoping nothing was wrong. He quickly climbed off of Jason, who also pulled himself up sharply, straightening his shirt and attempting to look casual.

Roy opened the door to reveal Lian, waiting outside in her pajamas, and looking eager to change the subject from what she had almost walked in on her dads in the middle of. She was holding what looked like a tiny paper package in her hand. “I… I meant to bring this up earlier. I didn’t wanna say anything in front of Mr Flagg.” She said, holding up the package. “Mom slipped this to me when we hugged back at Stryker’s. I think I know what it might be…”

“Your mother did what?!” Roy took the package, a little concerned by what Jade could have possibly snuck to Lian under the nose of not only the guards, but also Amanda Waller! Jason appeared next to Roy, knowing that neither of them would sleep until this was sorted out, and they both examined the small parcel.

Roy unfolded it to reveal a minuscule bottle of a sharp green liquid. Attached to the bottle was a small note written in what looked like Vietnamese.

“Is that… Poison?” Jason asked cautiously.

“It looks like mom’s nail polish!” Lian said excitedly. “I guess she managed to hide one last bottle!”

“So yes, Jason. It could very well be venomous…” Roy muttered, examining the bottle closely. If this was one of Jade’s homemade nail polishes, it could indeed be powerful enough to bring down an elephant. Roy saw more evidence of this possibility when he read the note attached to the bottle.

“Mom definitely meant for me to have it, look…” Lian said, as she translated the message. “My darling Lotus Flower - For bullies.” She looked up at both her father and Jason. “When she says “for bullies”, do you think she means..?”

“I’d rather not risk it, sweetie.” Roy said, handing the potentially venomous vial to Jason. “Not until we’ve had a chance to properly analyze this stuff. I know that your mom would never do anything to hurt you in a million years, but she doesn’t always think clearly when it comes to other people’s safety.”

Lian nodded and stared at the floor, a little dejected. She knew that it was better to be safe with this sort of thing, but it still hurt that she might not be able to have this gift from her mother, when it had obviously meant a great deal to her. The polish would have gone perfectly with Lian’s Cheshire outfit too!

“I can get this analyzed first thing in the morning!” said Jason. “We’ve got some equipment over in the safehouse we can use to check what’s in this stuff pretty quick. Once we’re sure it’s nothing lethal, you can have it back, ninjinha!”

Lian smiled at Jason, as both he and Roy led her back down the hallway to her bedroom, while Jason continued to examine the vial. “I wouldn’t worry too much, kid!” He said with a grin. “I’m pretty sure, even if this does have venom in it, your mom would start you out on something safe. At worst, it’ll probably just cause a little bit of temporary paralysis if you scratched someone hard enough. And I know enough about these mean streets to know that plenty of clowns out there would have it coming!”

“Jason.” Roy warned his husband with a stern glare, while Lian stifled a giggle. He knew Jason was probably joking, but he didn’t feel Lian needed any more encouragement to start picking fights. She already had enough of that from the fact that pretty much every one of her extended family was some kind of vigilante.

Lian continued to talk about how she had been hoping to paint her nails to match her upcoming Halloween costume as they led her back to bed, and Jason promised her that she would. Roy was quick to add that they would buy her some non-venomous polish in the same shade if it came to that, before kissing her goodnight and turning off the light.

“Never a dull moment around here, huh Red?” Roy said with a sigh as they made their way back to their room.

“Heh, you bet!” Jason chuckled. “Hardly even a change of pace from our old work, eh?”

“What was she even thinking, giving something like that to Lian? It was so irresponsible!” Roy grumbled to himself, wanting to vent, but feeling it was better not to start ranting at this hour.

“Roy, it’s okay!” Jason said, putting a comforting arm around his husband as they entered their bedroom. “I might not know her as well as you do, but even I know Jade would never do anything that would put Lian in danger. Plus, Lian’s a smart kid! I’d trust her with deadly venom more than some actual adults I’ve met out in the field.”

Roy raised an eyebrow at that last comment, but then gave a sigh of acceptance. “I guess you have a point… I’m sorry. I probably overreacted a little…”

“Don’t apologize for that, Red!” Jason said, giving him another squeeze and gently pulling him over to bed to cuddle more comfortably. “You’re her dad! It’s your job to worry about her safety. Hell, it’s mine too! She’s the best adventure we’ve ever been on!”

Roy was quiet for a moment, head resting against his husband’s chest. “The best adventure, huh? Quite a lot to compete with in that contest, don’t you think? What about Brazil?”

Jason laughed as he thought back to the fateful mission that had started with them tracking down a fleeing crime boss, which had led to them having to defend a small village from an angry militia of armed goons, and had finally ended with the two of them getting married in the village chapel as a reward for saving the locals. They had later held a slightly more official ceremony upon their return to the States, mostly so that Lian and other friends and family members could take part in the wedding, but Jason always considered their initial elopement in Brazil to be the official start of their marriage.

“True, that’s also a pretty good one.” Jason said with a small laugh, as he stroked his husband’s hair. “How could I forget how that one ended…”

“Hmm… Maybe you need a reminder, Jaybird?” Roy said, moving his face up to meet Jason’s.

“Maybe I do, Vida…” Jason grinned, slipping in a little flirtatious Portuguese at the memory of Brazil. “Maybe I do…” He reached for the lightswitch and their lips met in the darkness as they settled in for a peaceful night together; something which the two of them felt was starting to become a lot more common. And they wouldn’t have had it any other way…