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Whose idea was it for them to be kept a secret?
Oh right. Fucking Batman.
Said Bat was out of the country with Damian, having a father-son bonding time with the Kents, leaving Dick, Jason and Tim alone to handle things in Gotham.
Dick groaned when he received news of his former crime lord brother getting caught by the Justice League. For what reasons? He’ll find out soon enough.
They said that they needed him to go over to the Watchtower since he knew more about Gotham's crime lord better than anyone else— sans Batman.
He didn't get why they didn't call Tim instead. He's the one who's actually in Gotham, not Dick. Nightwing is a Blüdhaven vigilante who has no association with the Bats because he decided to keep his identity as Robin and Nightwing a secret.
Honestly, truthfully speaking, Dick doesn't know how he’ll be able to get Jason out of their custody. Bruce had kept all their identities a secret to the elite group of heroes and he knew that everyone assumed that Tim was the first Robin— not him. Which meant that Red Robin had more power over Nightwing because they would listen to Batman’s former sidekick and not some random vigilante who had appeared out of nowhere, taking care of Gotham’s sister city.
Yeah. They too assumed that Tim was the one who created Teen Titans a few years ago before creating Young Justice and then eventually called the team Teen Titans again.
Which is fucking stupid because a few years ago, Tim was still a kid and have yet to become Robin. He’d be around 5 years old when Dick had created the team and Robin had been 13 years old when Teen Titans was created.
Is every superhero in the Justice League bad in Mathematics?
He debated on whether to just put on his domino mask but decided against it and put on his suit.
It felt so wrong to put it on in the middle of the day.
Jason better be fucking grateful he's doing this for him and when Bruce gets back, he and Dick will have a nice, long conversation.
This was not how he’d planned to spend his afternoon. But when the Justice League calls, you answer— especially when your wayward brother is involved.
Once suited up, he made his way to the nearest zeta tube. He already could feel a headache forming as he walked into the Watchtower.
“Nightwing, B-01,” the computer announces. He doesn't know how a group of superheroes didn't catch onto that.
“Nightwing!” Green Lantern— Hal Jordan, called out, waving at him. Dick tried to not let his annoyance show because yes, he’s annoyed that they had to disturb his peaceful and lazy Saturday afternoon before his movie date.
“GL. What's up? Heard you guys caught a big bad crime lord,” Dick greeted, trying to keep his voice light and friendly.
Hal grinned as he floated over. “Yeah, some real piece of work, this guy. Real violent streak. Calls himself Red Hood, ring any bells?”
Dick raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. “Red Hood, huh? Sounds familiar. So, why call me? Last I heard he’s Gotham’s business and I’d rather not involve myself in the Bat’s city. I figured you guys would’ve called in the big bat— or Red Robin, for something like this,” he lies smoothly.
Hal rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit sheepish. “Well we tried getting in touch with both of them. Spooky is out with Superman and apparently Red Robin is tied up in Gotham with some other business. You, on the other hand, are the closest thing we’ve got to someone who knows the underbelly of Gotham as well as Batman, since you know, have helped him out before.”
‘Fuck Tim for putting me in this mess.’ He thought to himself, scowling internally.
“Right…” he drawled, forcing a smile. “Well lucky me.”
Hal leads him through the various rooms and pristine walls, making small talks. He lets out a couple hums here and there to show that he's listening— he’s not, he’s barely registering the conversation; as he mentally prepares for whatever was waiting for him and trying to figure out how to handle it.
“You should never, and I mean never, let anyone know about your identity and your association with me,” Bruce had told him before.
Bruce’s determined paranoia had kept his identity under wraps for years, and now that very same paranoia is going to bite them all in the fucking ass.
Does Batman have a contingency plan for if one of his sons’ identity is revealed? He knows Bruce has a lot for his own identity. So how the hell is he going to get Jason and himself out of the situation without revealing who they are?
They reached the interrogation room where the Flash and Green Arrow waited, expressions ranging from curiosity to suspicion. Oliver stood with his arms crossed, looking unusually serious while Barry eyed the one-way glass, as if trying to read Jason's mind.
‘Seriously? They managed to catch the Red Hood?’
“Nightwing,” Oliver greeted with a nod as he entered the room with Hal in tow. “Thanks for coming on short notice.”
“Anything for the League,” Dick replied, stepping forward to join them, though internally, he was cursing at Bruce, Jason and Tim for putting him in this situation.
Barry gestured towards the glass, making Dick peer through it. There he was, the star of the night, the problem to his troubles, his brother, Jason Todd, the Red Hood in his domino mask, sitting with his feet propped up on the table while his hands were cuffed at the back of his chair, looking bored as ever. “Dude’s an ass. Wouldn't tell us anything about why he was in Central City with a bunch of drugs and kept mouthing about how we don't know anything about him. Figured you might be able to get through him, considering your experience.”
Dick resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose and sigh. Instead, he nodded. “Experience with Gotham’s criminals or just with people who are difficult?” He asked with a small smirk.
“Both,” Oliver replied, uncrossing his arms to put his hands on his hips. “He’s not exactly cooperative but he hasn't done anything to provoke us either. It’s like he’s waiting for something.”
‘Yeah, waiting to cause trouble for him.’
Dick could practically hear Jason’s mocking laughter in his head. This was so typical of him— letting himself get caught just to see how Dick gets his brother out of it without revealing much. He could practically hear Jason now: “Come on, Dickiebird, let’s see how you fly out of this one.”
“Alright,” he sighed, keeping his demeanour calm and casual. “Let me talk to him. Maybe I can get him to talk.”
Barry, Hal and Oliver exchanged glances before nodding. “We’ll be watching,” Hal said.
“Of course you fucking will,” Dick muttered under his breath, the grateful that none of the men has super hearing, as he walked over to the door that led into the interrogation room.
As soon as he stepped inside, he wished that he hadn't picked up the call. Jason’s eyes flickered up to meet his, with a raised eyebrow. “Took you fucking long enough, dick.”
Over the years, he had figured out when people were saying his name or was calling him a dick. Jason’s the latter.
Dick sighed heavily, closing the door behind him, hoping that none of the other Leaguers heard that as he leaned against the door with crossed arms. “What the hell are you doing here, Jay? Did you seriously let yourself get caught by them?”
A slow, devilish grin spread across the younger’s face. “Maybe I just wanted a vacation. The Watchtower’s pretty nice, after all, since it's in space. I’m thinking of checking out their five-star accommodations next.”
“Real funny,” Dick muttered, his voice low. “What are you actually here for? You do realise you’re putting both of us in a tight spot here?”
Though the domino mask that sat atop Jason’s eyes, he could tell that they were gleaming with mischief. “I dunno, it seems to me like you’re the one in a tight spot. I’m just here enjoying the show.”
Dick sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose before glaring at his brother. “Jason,” he growled, just like what Batman would've done.
Now that straightened Jason up before the man scowled at him and returned back to his previous position. “Fine! I wasn't fucking doing anything, okay? Those fuckers thought I was drug dealing in Central City but I was on a case that Bruce and Barbie sent me. I was trying to bust a drug ring which led me to Central City where they caught me.”
Dick raised an eyebrow as he took in his brother's explanation. “Let me get this straight. You were undercover, trying to bust a drug ring and the League just happened to mistake you as a dealer and you let them take you in?”
Jason rolled his eyes and shrugged. “With a reputation like mine, people tend to jump into conclusions. Not my fault the JL’s a bunch of trigger-happy Boy Scouts. Also, I wanted to see Aunt Diana so she could recommend a new book to read.”
He couldn't help but to snort at Jason’s audacity. “Did you seriously get yourself caught so you could visit Aunt Diana? You could've called her or just come on your own.”
“Wonder Woman’s company is much better than those clowns outside. Plus, B hasn't fucking updated my code, remember? Everyone here still thinks I’m a crime lord,” Jason drawls, leaning back in his chair as much as he could with cuffs on.
Sighing for the nth time, he shakes his head. “B is going to kill us when he hears about this. He told us to stay out of trouble and here you are, flirting with disaster.”
Jason, the little shit he is, just grinned at him. Dick looked up to the ceiling, praying to every God there is to stop him from strangling his dearest little brother.
Taking a deep breath and counting down numbers, he looked back at Jason who was smirking at him. “Okay. Okay. How the fuck do I let you out of here without exposing you or myself?”
“You’re the eldest, you figure it out,” Jason shoots back unhelpfully.
Dick rolled his eyes and glanced at the glass, trying to think of a way.
“Okay. I’ll tell them the truth without revealing much about our identities,” he says, rolling his shoulders back before opening the door and closing it behind him.
Hal, Oliver and Barry looked at him expectantly.
But before he could tell them what was going on, the zeta tube buzzed and the computer announced the presence of newcomers.
“Batman, 02”
“Robin, B-05”
“Red Robin, B-03”
Well fuck.
“Looks like Batman’s here,” Barry conceded as a blur of red and yellow exits the room.
This is Jason’s own mess now, no way Dick is helping him out with Bruce— as much as he fights a lot with the man and would side with his brothers anytime.
He entered the room where Jason was, unsurprised that Jason had gotten himself out of the cuffs and was holstering his guns and putting on his helmet.
Which— why. Why would a bunch of heroes put their “criminal’s” weapons in the same room as the said criminal? Dick thought that Bruce was always exaggerating when talking about how stupid the Leaguers could be. He knows now that he wasn't.
“B’s here with the Robins,” Dick informed and Jason snapped his head at him.
“Well this is going to be good,” Jason drawls sarcastically, pushing past him and out of the door. Dick followed him from behind.
As they stepped out of the room, they were greeted by the sight of Hal, Barry and Oliver gawking at them and their younger brothers— Tim and Damian in their full gear, flanking both sides of the Dark Knight who was already scowling at the sight of Jason and Dick.
“Hood,” Bruce’s voice was low and dangerous. “Care to explain why you’re here?”
“I wasn't shooting anyone if that’s what you're implying,” Jason snapped back and Dick shot him a look.
“Hood.”
Jason threw his hands up exasperatedly. “I didn't do anything. I was trying to follow up on the case which you gave me and it led me to Central City where your League pals here decided I was the one behind the drug ring.”
Bruce’s eyes narrowed, clearly not amused. Dick could tell that he wasn't amused with the other heroes and not them. Jason's innocent. “And you thought it was a good idea to get captured?”
Jason shrugged nonchalantly. Dick had the urge to slam his own head against the nearest wall.
Damian, who had been silent until this point, spoke up with crossed arms and a scowl on his face. “That was foolish of you, Hood. Father has told you to stay out of unnecessary attention while we are gone.”
“Shut it, brat,” Jason hisses and Dick shoots out an arm to stop Jason.
“Hn,” he grunted, turning to Dick. “And you?”
Dick rubbed the back of his neck. “I was called in to handle the situation because Tim was… busy.”
Tim at least had the shame to look sheepish and apologetic. “I had my hands full with meetings earlier. I told them to call you to help out instead.”
Bruce grunted again and turned to the other heroes in the room— who looked like they were going to shit in their pants.
“Red Hood is no longer a criminal, he’s one of my sons. The list has yet to be updated as well as Red Hood’s code to the Watchtower,” Bruce says levelly.
“Yeah and whose fault is that,” Jason grumbled underneath his breath but from where Dick was standing, he could hear him loud and clear. He elbowed Jason’s side.
Also, pause. Did the paranoid Batman just reveal that Jason is one of his sons?
“Do they not see the Bat symbol in the middle of Hood’s chest?” Damian snarked as Tim covered his mouth with his hand, which earned him a glare from the current Robin.
Bruce shot a sharp glance at the youngest before returning his attention to the Leaguers. Hal, Barry and Oliver looked like they were still reeling from the sudden news of Batman’s son being the Red Hood.
“We didn't know he was one of yours. He wouldn't tell us anything and his reputation isn't exactly squeaky clean,” Oliver spoke up quietly.
“Well now you know, so don't go around arresting former crime lords who have bat symbols on his chest,” Jason grumbles, crossing his arms.
Dick honestly just wants to go home now.
“Wait, which son is this? We know that Red Robin and Robin are your only sons. How many sons do you have?” Hal asked, curious.
Dick glances at Bruce who huffed. “All of them are my sons. Jason Todd, the second Robin,” Bruce pointed at the helmeted man then pointed to Tim, “Tim Drake, the third Robin,” then at Damian, “Damian Wayne,” and lastly at him. “Dick Grayson, first Robin."
The three heroes blanched. “Bruce Wayne?!” Oliver screeched.
Dick turned to Bruce, clapping his hands. “Great, now that introductions are over, can we go now? I’m about to miss a movie date with Wally at the Manor.”
Bruce scowled but nodded, all of them leaving the three shocked men. “Wait, Wally?!” Barry exclaimed.
Jason, the shit that he is, shouted back with a smirk. “And I’m going to miss my date with Roy!” Dick glances back at the heroes, just in time for Oliver to drop his jaw.
The two eldest giggled but stopped when Bruce threw them a glare.
As they stepped into the zeta tube, Damian couldn’t resist one last quip, his voice barely above a whisper. “I still think they’re idiots.”
Jason smirked, and Tim simply sighed. Dick shook his head and he couldn't help himself but mutter, “Next time, Little Wing, just call Aunt Diana. It’ll save us all a lot of trouble.”
Jason just chuckled, his voice muffled by his helmet. “Where’s the fun in that?”