Eyes and Ears
Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam
Summary: An AU where Barbara finds Jason instead of Bruce.
Chapters: 1/?
Characters: Jason Todd, Barbara Gordon, Jim Gordon, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Sheila Haywood, Original Character(s)
Relationship(s): Jason Todd/Original Character(s), Past Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson
Additional Tags: Canon Divergent AU, Older SIbling Barbara Gordon, Jason Todd-centric, Barbara Gordon is Oracle, Jason Todd is NOT Robin, Jason Todd Has Issues, Jason Todd Has a Crush, Adopted Siblings
Chapter One: Arrested
They locked eyes as Barbara rose from her perch, and in the dim alley lighting, Jason cursed under his breath and said, "Man am I in trouble..." He sank down to the ground and covered his face.
Barbara sighed and came down to meet him, and she sat down by his side. "You're gonna turn me in, huh?" he asked, still hiding his face.
She didn't say anything at first. "Where are your parents? Maybe I can just take you home after you return the tires you took," she offered. Jason didn't answer her. "Or I could just turn you in."
"My parents are dead," Jason mumbled, "Do you sit and talk to every crook you meet or am I just special?"
"Now, if I tell you you're special, it's gonna make me seem like a jerk," Barbara joked, "But if you don't have any parents to go home to... I kind of have to take you in."
"Can't you just save me the trouble of running away from a foster home and let me off with a warning?" Jason asked. Barbara sucked her teeth and knocked the back of her head against the Batmobile as she tried to think of something to do. "What part of Gotham are you from?"
"Why?" she asked.
"You don't sound like you're from here," Jason whispered, "Are you gonna turn me in?" She shrugged. "You are gonna tell your dad, though?"
"My dad?" Barbara asked. "Oh! He's not my—."
"Is he your boyfriend then?" Jason asked. Barbara screwed her face up and shook her head.
"Please stop talking and let me think for a second... Also, no, he isn't my boyfriend. Let's go get that tire back, and then I'll make my decision. Okay?" Barbara suggested, and she helped him up.
Jason led her back to his apartment, where he kept the tire. They both climbed up the fire escape, and Barbara took a look around at the rundown apartment. Jason's mattress sat in the corner of the living room by the door. He rolled the tire back towards the fire escape window, only stopping when Barbara let out a sigh. "What? I'm gonna put it back the same way I left it, I swear," Jason reassured her.
"No, it's not that... Do you wanna get something to eat after this?" Barbara asked. Jason turned and cocked his head at her. "What?"
"You don't have any Batgirl stuff to do? You and Batman don't go out to dinner—?"
"Again, we're not dating... Also, no. I'm on my own time. If it's too embarrassing to eat dinner with me as Batgirl, I could hang back, and we could eat on one—."
"No, I'm just saying that if I was you, I would do anything to not have dinner with me," Jason interrupted. Barbara chewed her bottom lip.
"Come on, kid. Let's go put the tire back and get something to eat before all the good food places close up for the night," she nudged him before making her way out the window and helping him get the tire out onto the fire escape. They went back to the batmobile, and Jason put the tire back. "Good, now we can—."
"I gotta tighten this one before we go. I loosened the nuts on this one," Jason interrupted as he crouched down with the tire iron and tightened it back up. "Now, I'm done." Barbara smiled at him, and she led him back to where her bike was. "So, if Batman isn't your dad... Does your dad know you ride motorcycles in a bat costume all night?" She messed up his hair.
"No, and you won't tell him," she laughed as she passed him a helmet. Barbara climbed on her bike, and Jason put on the helmet she gave him and climbed on after her. She put her helmet on and turned to him. Jason looked around for something to hold onto, and she chuckled and shook her head. "You're gonna have to hold onto me." Jason nodded and wrapped his arms around her waist. She started her bike up and drove off.
Jason tightened his grip and held on that way until they stopped at a food truck. Barbara told him to order anything he wanted once they got off. Jason took his helmet off to reveal a complete look of bewilderment, and Barbara chuckled. "You'll get used to it," Barbara reassured him.
"You say that like you're gonna be picking me up again after tonight," Jason chuckled uncomfortably. They ordered their food and took a number. "So, are you gonna turn me in?" Barbara nodded.
"Yeah, I decided. You're a hardened criminal... No, I'm not gonna turn you in. I'm gonna take you somewhere, though, because you can't go back there. What's your name, by the way, I forgot to ask?" Barbara whispered as she leaned against the wall. Jason stood next to her.
"My name's Jason," he introduced himself to her, "And I'm kind of glad I didn't go with my first plan of action..."
"What was that?" she asked.
"Hitting you with a tire iron and calling you Carrot Top," Jason raised his shoulders out of embarrassment, and he was a little startled when she laughed at him.
"Carrot Top? Oh yeah, that was a horrible plan. I would've been pissed," she chuckled, "So glad you didn't do that... Also, it's nice to meet you, Jason."
They got their food and ate on the curb together. "Where are you gonna take me?" Jason asked.
Jason spilled a little barbecue sauce on his hoodie. Barbara nudged him. "Want a bite?" Jason asked.
"N—. Why not?" Barbara took a bite of his burger and nodded. "Mm, I was gonna tell you you've got a little something on your jacket."
Jason shrugged and went back to eating. "No big deal... But you never answered my question."
"I know, but I just think it'll be easier to show you than it would be to tell you," Barbara explained, "You trust me?"
Jason looked up at her and nodded. "Yeah," Jason smiled a little half-smile, "Sure." After they finished eating, Barbara took a napkin and wiped her hands, and gave Jason one.
"Wanna ride around for a little bit? Or are you tired?" Barbara asked.
"I'm never tired," Jason replied as he put the helmet back on, and Barbara climbed on her bike. He held on tight while they rode around in circles for a few hours, and she decided it was time to take him back. She parked in an alley and climbed up the fire escape.
"Wait out here, just one second, okay?" she whispered and motioned for him to stay quiet. Jason nodded and stood against the wall as he watched her close the curtains. Barbara came down a few minutes later in civvies and took his hand. "Now, you're not gonna tell my dad anything. If he asks, I met you at my job at the library. Okay?" Barbara asked.
Jason nodded wordlessly, and she moved to lead him into her building, but he didn't move. "What's wrong?" Barbara asked, turning to look at him.
"You look like my mom," Jason mumbled. He swallowed hard, and he wouldn't make any further eye contact with her. The look of her freckles and the softness in her eyes made his chest hurt. Barbara didn't notice. She just wanted to get him inside before she lost the courage to speak with her dad.
"Shush, okay. Now come on," Barbara whispered as she moved again, and he didn't budge. Barbara looked back at him, and she softened up. Tears streamed down Jason's face, and he turned his head away from her. "Come here." Her voice was soft and sincere.
Jason embraced her, and for the first time since his mother died, he wept. Barbara was taken aback by the sudden shift in his emotions, but she hugged him back. "Wanna talk about it?" she asked.
Jason shook his head. Barbara nodded and held onto him until he stopped crying, and he let her take him into her apartment building. They went up the elevator, and as soon as Barbara got the door unlocked, she called for Commissioner Gordon. "Hey, Dad? I brought a friend with me, hope you don't mind. We already ate," Barbara explained, and Commissioner Gordon came out of the kitchen with a bowl of macaroni and cheese.
"Your friend doesn't look old enough to be out this late... Where's his—?" Barbara shook her head. "Oh. Sure you're not still hungry, err... Um..."
"Jason, I met him at the library. I was kind of wondering if maybe he could crash here for a while," Barbara suggested, "Like a long while?"
"Help yourself to whatever's in the kitchen, son... Babs, can I talk to you in private?" Jim asked. She nodded and followed him to his room.
Jason looked around at their family pictures and their furniture. He sniffed and kicked off his shoes and set them aside before going into the kitchen and washing his hands. Jason could hear them arguing, but it didn't sound bad, so Jason made himself a plate of food and sat on the floor at their coffee table. He was about to get up and make himself another helping when Jim and Barbara came back out. "Jason, how old are you?" Jim asked.
"Almost thirteen," Jason answered.
"Why do you look familiar?" Jim asked.
"You might've taken my dad in back when he was around... She didn't tell me you—." Barbara shot him a look. "Were such a good cook..."
"Thanks, and you can stay here. We'll figure things out as we go along, I guess. Also, you can finish eating... I'm gonna go see if I could find something for you to wear," Jim replied. Jason nodded and went back to the kitchen, and Barbara followed him.
As soon as Jim was out of earshot, Jason shot her a look. "Your dad is a cop. The commissioner at that. That's like the king of cops. Are you crazy?" Jason whispered.
"Well—."
"Jesus Christ," Jason turned away to make his plate, "You don't think you could've warned me a little?"
"I knew you wouldn't have gone for it. Besides, it's either this or foster care, kid. I don't know what else to tell you. This way, I can keep an eye on you," Barbara whispered.
Jason knocked her as he passed and sat down on the floor at the coffee table. "Jason—."
"I'm only gonna stay because I have a feeling you're not gonna get off my back... But I want you to know I'm pissed," Jason muttered as he ate. Barbara sat next to him and turned the tv on.
"My dad's fine, trust me... And you'll like it here. We'll fix up your room and—."
"You want me to stay here. How come?" Jason asked. "And you don't have to sell me on staying here. Dinner already did." Barbara smiled and embraced him. Jason went red in the face and stumbled over his words. "Well... Gosh, I guess that answers my question." Jason went back to eating, and Jim came out of his room.
"I'll be right back. I'm going to the store," Jim announced, "Don't let her give you a hard time, Jason."
After Jim left, Jason looked at her. "What?" Barbara asked.
"Your dad's a cop. Why didn't you just become a cop?" Jason asked. Barbara sighed.
"Not for lack of trying, kid. He would rather die than see me put myself in harm's way," Barbara whispered, "Which is why you can't tell him anything about what I do."
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