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bluejaysandblackbats · 3 months

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Five Little Ducks

Fandom: DC Comics, Batman

Summary: Bruce finds a magically de-aged Jason.

Chapters: 8/13

Characters: Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Stephanie Brown, Duke Thomas, Zatanna Zatara

Additional Tags: De-Aged Jason Todd, Magic, Babysitting, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff and Angst, POV Third Person, Bruce Wayne is Not Okay, Bruce Wayne Tries, Jason Todd Has Issues, Childhood Trauma, TW: Self Harm

Chapter Eight: Brady

"I hope this wears off soon... I've been to the store more times than I can count, looking for clothes that fit him," Bruce muttered as he changed Jason into pajamas that Steph picked out. Jason sucked his thumb as Bruce zipped up the front of his onesie.

Duke changed the color of Jason's onesie to a darker green. Jason jumped up and down. "Again! Again!" Jason yelled.

"Okay, but you gotta climb in bed first," Duke replied. Jason frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Not tired," Jason mumbled.

"But we played all-. I'm gonna help you get tired," Duke replied as Bruce left the room.

Steph scooped him up. "Do you know who he looks like?" Steph asked as she held Jason facing Duke. Jason clicked his heels and giggled.

"Who?" Duke asked.

"Like a curly-headed Peter Brady," Steph replied. Duke chuckled and turned the lights down. "Duke, let's build him a fort."

"Bruce wants him in bed," Duke whispered. Steph clicked her tongue.

"He's only gonna be two once," Steph replied as she set him down. Jason squatted down and leaped up into Steph's arms. She held him on her hip. "Jason, do you want a nice pretty blanket fort?" Jason nodded.

Duke smiled and took extra blankets down from the top of the closet. "I gotta go to school tomorrow, so you've gotta-."

"I got it. Kids love me," Steph whispered, "Isn't that right, Jason?"

Jason took a stack of pillows and followed Steph around the room while she hung up the blankets, creating cascades of colorful sheer canopies. Jason dropped the cushions and stared slackjawed at Steph's work. "You're like magic," Jason whispered. Steph chuckled and welcomed Jason in. He followed her and placed the pillows down on the floor. Steph propped her phone up and played a movie while she grabbed his quilt. Jason lay on his stomach, staring at the screen.

She draped the quilt over him and sat down. "Miss Steph? Are you gonna stay with me?" Jason asked. Steph nodded.

Jason lifted the blanket and offered it to her. "Thanks," Steph smiled. She pulled the blanket over herself.

"Are you a mommy?" Jason asked.

"I almost was," Steph replied.

"What happened?" Jason questioned. Steph messed up his hair.

"I gave my baby to a family so she could have a better mommy. I wasn't grown up enough," Steph explained.

"Are you grown up now?" Jason asked. Steph smiled.

"Why?" Steph asked.

"Will you be my mommy?" Jason asked.

"You have a mommy," Steph replied sweetly.

"But not tonight... Who's gonna give me a kiss before bed?" Jason asked. Steph took a deep breath and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Watch the movie, sweetheart," Steph whispered. Jason obeyed and sucked his thumb until his eyes were too heavy to stay awake. Steph stayed awake by his side.

Jason stretched his arms and legs in his sleep, and they grew. Steph took her phone and texted Bruce. She watched for a while as he gradually grew out of his pajamas. "Okay, stop growing," Steph whispered as she got up and looked for a t-shirt to pull over his head. She found an extra large shirt and put it on for him as he slept. He didn't stir during the struggle. Bruce came in. By then, Steph got him out of the too-small onesie, and he laid across her lap with a hand draped over his forehead. "Help." Bruce picked Jason up and put him to bed in the too-big tee.

"You saw him grow?" Bruce asked as he joined Steph in the fort.

"Yeah, and it freaked me out. I had to switch Jason into that shirt because he wouldn't stop-."

Jason sat up with a start. "Mommy? Mommy, did we run away again?" Jason questioned as he looked around the room. "Mommy, I get scared when you don't answer."

Jason climbed out of bed and poked his head in the bathroom door. He started hyperventilating and searched through the drawers for a pair of shorts, and he pulled the drawstring over his neck to keep them up. "Mom!" Jason screamed. "Mom! Where are you?" Bruce stepped out of the fort, and Jason jumped.

"I'm a friend of Catherine's -."

"You're Bruce Wayne," Jason interrupted. Jason backed away, his eyes surrounded by dark circles as he reached behind himself. "I don't wanna go to the hospital." Jason turned and opened the window, sitting on the window sill. Halfway in. Halfway out.

"Jason, why would I take you to the hospital?" Bruce asked as he stepped forward.

"Don't! You don't know what it's like! I knew I shouldn't have done it... But I'm so tired-. That's why she isn't here, right? It's my fault. I gotta go look for her-."

"Jason, slow down. What did you do?" Bruce asked.

"Don't come close to me!" Jason screamed. Tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Okay, I'll stay right here. I won't move," Bruce reassured him, "Is it okay for my friend to come out? She's harmless."

"Fine, but if she comes close, I'll jump," Jason replied.

"I won't, I promise. Please don't jump," Steph replied as she came out.

"Jason, we were talking... Can you tell me what you did?" Bruce asked.

"It was selfish. I could have it worse. A lot of kids do... Dad's never gonna forgive me," Jason wept.

"Jason, what-?"

"I tried to kill myself!" Jason screamed. "Are you happy? I ruined everything. My Mom's never getting better now, and Dad's gonna be mad that I-. God is never going to forgive me. My stomach hurts, and I'm cold, and I'm scared! I don't wanna be scared anymore!"

Bruce's heart raced. That wasn't in Jason's medical records. Jason hadn't brought it up. Not once. "Come inside. I'll make you a cup of tea. It'll be alright," Bruce reassured. Jason reached for Bruce, and Bruce pulled him inside to safety. Jason sobbed as Bruce held him in his arms on the ground.

"I'm sorry-."

"It's alright. Everything's gonna be okay," Bruce whispered as he rubbed Jason's back. Jason sobbed into Bruce's shirt. "Let it all out." Jason gasped and coughed and gagged until he was too tired to cry.

"I-I'm sorry," Jason stammered as he tried to collect himself. "Please don't make-. Don't make me go to the hospital."

"I won't... You look like you need some cocoa," Bruce offered. Jason nodded, and Steph headed downstairs. "Hey, how old are you?"

"Ten," Jason sniffed, "Hey, Mr. Wayne... Please don't tell my Dad that I cried."

"I won't tell... Not that there's anything wrong with crying," Bruce reassured him.

Jason stood up and wrung his hands. "Peroxide. I drank peroxide... And all it did was make me super sick," Jason confessed, "Mommy-. Mom asked me, and I wouldn't tell her... I know I'm not the only one in the world that's got it-."

"You're the only one that has to be you. If it's hard, it's okay to express that. I l-." Bruce stopped himself.

Jason hugged him. "I wish everything would slow down," Jason whispered.

"It will," Bruce whispered.

Jason rubbed his forearm. "Can I still have hot cocoa? Or did you offer because you were worried about me jumping out of your window?" Jason asked.

"You can still have cocoa... And Jason, God isn't mad at you. I'm-. You've never mentioned God before," Bruce mumbled.

"I started going into the church last year because it gets too cold outside to walk home when it rains, but I liked being there so much that I signed up for RCIC. I might get baptized next year, but I haven't told anyone yet... Don't know if anyone would show up, though," Jason replied.

Bruce smiled. Jason took Bruce's hand, still trembling from the ordeal, but he wouldn't show it on his face. "Are you hungry?" Bruce asked as he led him down the stairs. Jason squeezed Bruce's hand. "I'll make hot dogs."

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