Title: And we'll fly and we'll fall
Fandom: DC Comics
Pairing: Dick Grayson/Jason Todd
Rating: Adult
Summary: Dick has this thing for crime-fighting redheads even when they also commit crimes.
Notes: My take on a redheaded Jason, complete with pre-Crisis flashbacks. This takes place shortly after Batman and Robin #16 and was jossed in an awesome way by Batman and Robin #23. Many thanks to
musesfool for looking it over.
Dick shuts the cell door behind him and waits in the pitch black. There are ninety seconds left until the emergency lights come back up, so he stands as still as possible and tries to regulate his breathing and prepare for what comes next. It isn't that it was hard getting into Arkham; he just isn't looking forward to the next few minutes. The even breathing from the corner suggests that Jason is still asleep but Dick doesn’t quite believe it. He'd rather deal with any of the other current inmates, but Jason's the one who asked to see Batman and with Jason he needs every advantage he can get; number one on that list is surprise.
“I know you’re there,” Jason says and Dick suppresses a sigh. So much for that approach. He should have known that he wouldn’t be able to sneak up on him. “Took you long enough.”
It's only been three days since Babs had intercepted Jason’s message. Two since she’d passed it on and one more since Dick's decision to respond. He wants to say that he’s been busy recovering from being shot in the head, but that's just an excuse.
Dick adjusts the cowl’s lenses. Five. Four. Three. Two. The fluorescent lights in the corridor come on again. Most of them are still flickering and someone a few doors down starts banging on his door and howling. Dick blocks it out and concentrates on Jason, who is propped on one elbow, peering at him. He's pretty sure he knows precisely why Jason asked to see Batman two days after that press conference but you never really know with him.
Jason deflates visibly as he recognises Dick. "Oh. It's you. I thought--" It takes him some time to get his face back under control and Dick pretends not to watch. He'll give him that much.
When Jason turns his attention back to Dick, his pose shouts indifference--he's leaning against the wall behind the tiny bed with his hands behind his head and his legs crossed. "So the rumours aren't true. He isn't back and it's still that nut-job Elliot. That explains the dog and pony show." Jason’s voice is impressively even.
"No. He's back."
There is a convulsive movement from the bed and then the light overhead flickers on and colour floods the room. Dick catches the end of Jason's smile before it's forced into a scornful expression but something else draws his attention and he blinks.
"But Daddy Bat won't deign to tell me himself. Yeah, that sounds about right."
There isn't anything Dick can say to that because he doesn't know why Bruce left this visit to him. That isn't the real reason for his silence however; he's trying to process what’s in front of him. The man sounds like Jason all right but Dick wouldn’t have recognised him if he'd walked past him on the street. He’s a mess. Gaunt and tired looking, which isn't really surprising seeing as Dick has just dropped into Jason’s cell at Arkham. It’s his hair. What the hell? It’s lank and it’s red. Almost carroty under the fluorescent light and obviously dyed. Dick can see the dark roots bursting like weeds over Jason’s scalp.
Dick is transfixed, although now he thinks about it, Jason did have red hair when he saw him last. But he'd been so preoccupied by Damian's injuries, it hadn't registered. It's registering now.
The colour of Jason's hair catches at something inside Dick. It's a familiar jolt--almost like reawakening a deeply buried memory but not quite. It produces a surge of affection coupled with the strangest urge to give Jason a hug. It's odd but he's felt like this before, although never around Jason. It's the feeling that leads him to be so protective of Kara, who is almost invulnerable and why he feels like such a kid around Babs sometimes, despite their scant age difference.
Jason gets up and waves a hand in front of Dick’s face. “Hello? Is there anyone there?” Dick just can't stop staring and Jason continues, “What’s up with you, man? You're usually so chatty.”
Dick sometimes wonders if Bruce had developed the intimidating Bat-silence just to give him time to collect his thoughts when he was completely flummoxed, but then a completely flummoxed Batman is very hard to imagine. Dick just about manages a passable growl, "Talk." He's pretty sure he's managed to suppress the wide smile that is threatening to appear.
"Ooooookay. Look, I need to tell you about Two Face," Jason says and pushes his hands through his hair.
Dick's focus narrows to that movement and everything else vanishes: the cell, his purpose, Jason's voice. The comfortable feeling is gone. Now all Dick can see is his own hands replacing Jason's in his hair with Jason kneeling in front of him, mouth stretched wide around his cock. It's so vivid and this time it doesn't feel like a memory. He feels as if all his blood is rushing to his groin.
Jason is saying something and Dick knows he should be paying attention because this is probably important. His head is filled with a vivid picture of his black gloved hands covering up the dark roots, the red spilling over his fingers as Jason's head moves up and down. Part of him is aware that this is possibly the worst time to have a sexual fantasy and he tries to clear his head.
He drags his brain back online with some effort and tries to remember the last few minutes of Jason's warning. He's recording the conversation and he supposes he could just wait to hear that but there probably are questions he should ask. He is always surprised at how little of the goings-on the supervillain community escapes Jason's notice. Right. Two Face and a child smuggling ring. That's a bad combination.
"Where are they keeping them?"
"They didn't say but the kids'll be leaving on Pier 15 tomorrow night. If you intercept them there you can get them out."
"Right."
Jason bounces on the balls of his feet and brushes aside a stand of hair that has fallen into his eyes, derailing Dick's train of thought again. He blurts out, "How many hairs?"
"Huh?"
Dick rewinds his words. Shit. He's really letting the Batman thing slip tonight. "How many men?"
Jason's giving him an amused look. "Not sure. Most of his gang were arrested with him."
"Hnn." Dick really should leave before this gets any worse. All he has to do is send the signal to disable the lights. "Is that it?"
"Isn't that enough?" Jason asks. "And why the hell are you staring so hard? If you were that interested you could have stopped by any time and looked your fill. Shot the breeze. Caught up on the family gossip."
Dick gives up on the Batman thing entirely. "It's red."
“Uh, yeah. What's that got to do with anything? It's not like you haven't seen it like that before.”
"It's nice."
"What?" Jason sounds confused but something of Dick's thoughts must have shown despite the cowl because Jason takes a deep breath and grins sharply. “I knew you had a thing for redheads but I didn’t realise how much. God you are such a freak."
Dick's cheeks heat but he asks the question that's been on his mind for the entire visit. "Why red?"
Jason smoothes back his hair, his eyes meeting Dick's straight on. "Who knows? Maybe I felt like a change. Wanted to assert my independence from all the rest of the blue eyed, black-haired clones in the family. You ever wonder how Bruce managed to find us all, made in his own image." He twirls and Dick feels hypnotised. "I think I rock the red and you obviously like it."
Jason steps in close and Dick is forced to look up at him. Jason continues, "Or maybe I was doing it to get a rise out of you." He crowds Dick against the wall, slipping his thigh between Dick's and presses up, hard. "This wasn't the kind I was looking for, but it'll do. Lucky I'm in such a good mood."
Dick knows Jason can't feel anything behind the armoured cup but he's right all the same. Dick is impossibly hard, so the only thing he can do is reach up and kiss him. Jason's breath tastes a little stale but Dick doesn't care, it's hot and wet and he wants this badly right now.
Jason is startled for a second; maybe he wasn't serious and then he kisses back fiercely. Dick grabs his shoulders and rubs his own Kevlar covered thigh against Jason, who is getting harder with each motion. He wishes he was naked and could feel more, but this will have to do.
Jason bites hard at the exposed part of his neck. "Well, well. I knew about Batgirl and Starfire but I'm beginning to have my suspicions about Arsenal and The Flash. You have a serious fetish, big brother." Jason is practically rutting against Dick's leg by now and Dick isn't far behind. "Hey. Is it true that speedsters are human vibrators?"
"Shut up." But it's more efficient to silence him with another kiss, although it's more biting than kissing now. He sticks his hand between their bodies and reaches into Jason's pants and strokes. It's been a very long time and this feels so good. Dick can feel the springiness of Jason's pubic hair even through the gauntlet and tugs at it a little making Jason gasp.
"I know what you're thinking and yes, the collar does match the cuffs," Jason whispers into his ear.
Dick snorts because it had crossed his mind and wraps his hand around Jason's cock again, pre-come reducing the friction between his gauntlet and the shaft. Jason is clawing ineffectively at Dick's uniform, his body warm against Dick's. He's missed losing himself in someone else's body.
"Wanted this forever." Jason's nose is against his neck and he can barely hear the murmured words. He's not sure he was supposed to. Dick quickens his stroke and Jason comes, spilling over Dick’s hand. Dick can hear ringing in his ears as he comes himself.
Jason's weight pressing him against the hard concrete of the wall is the only thing holding him up. It takes him a few moments before he realises that the ringing is actually the hailing tone from his headset and he automatically activates the line.
Barbara is speaking into his ear over the sound of his own harsh breathing. "You've got to get out now. The staff are changing over soon and you'll lose your window." He's horribly aware that she's probably heard everything.
He lets go of Jason and reaches for the device to deactivate the lights.
"He's really back?" Jason whispers into Dick's neck.
"Yeah. He really is." Dick strokes his hair. "God Jay, I'm so sorry. I'll get you out soon."
Jason lifts his head at that and steps away, opening his mouth to ask a question but Dick doesn't wait to hear it. He takes that as an opportunity to shut off the lights and leaves the cell.
It doesn't take him long to get out of Arkham and he doesn't stop to think until he's safely in the Batmobile speeding back to the bunker on autopilot. He rests his head on the wheel and tries to ignore the smell of Jason still clinging to him and the discomfort of drying come in his pants.
God. What is he going to do now?