Chapter Text
He had trusted Barbara, spared her and turned him to be by his side. Yet she still killed him, took his power from right under him and destroyed what he had so carefully built. He gasped for air, looking down from where the tip of the wooden stake stuck out from his chest and stained the front of his uniform. He looked up as Supergirl smirked. He felt his sin dry, crack, and his bones crush to nothingness. With one last breath Dick Grayson became nothing. He was in the wind, swirling through the world as it carried him into the darkness.
With another breath he was whole again, laying on the dank alley as rain dripped onto his skin. His hands flew to his chest, patting the place the stake had pierced but there was nothing. He was still a vampire, the burn in his throat told him that much. But as he sat up he immediately noticed this was not his world. Not his Gotham. He cracked his neck feeling the satisfying pop and stood to his full height. The night was quiet, at least by Gotham standards. There were sirens screaming somewhere in the distance and the rumble of the train echoed through the night. Taking a few tentative steps he creeped out of the alley. Alone. In Crime Alley, great. He was in Hood’s territory. Great. He needed to find a way out without getting noticed. Now. Especially if his counterpart was running around here somewhere, Dick knew they wouldn’t take kindly to him.
“Freeze,” A robotic voice made him sigh, of course he would get caught. Just his fucking luck. “Turn around shit head.”
“Hood,” Dick changed his voice to what he used to fool the others in his world as he turned around to face the familiar red helmet his younger brother wore, “I’m just passing through-”
“Shut the fuck up,” Hood hissed, “What kind of sick fucking joke is this? Clayface? Shapeshifter? Who are you?”
“It’s me, Red,” Dick said, taking a step closer which only made Hood click the safety off.
“Stop bullshitting me, was it Talia?” He asked instead.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Dick snapped, his annoyance creeping into his tone, “It’s me!”
“Oh yeah,” Hood took a step forward, “news flash, dickface, you’re dead. You’ve been dead for the last year and a half. So stop fucking with me and tell exactly who you are.”
Dead? His counterpart was dead . Oh, this was going to be harder than anticipated. It would’ve been easier if they were alive. All he had to do was take them out and take their place, but now they knew he was gone. Had been for long enough to use any pathetic excuse to cover his ass. Whatever excuse he used they would know he was lying because ever since Jason came back from the dead they took extensive precautions whenever someone died, lest they come back from the dead in a murderous rage. They barely survived it once and Dick knew they wouldn’t survive it again. Clearly they took those steps when this Dikc Grayson died. However he died.
“C’mon Ja-”
“Shut the fuck up,” Hood growled his finger tightening on the trigger slightly, “you have ten seconds before I blow your fucking brains out. Talk.”
“I-” Dick could tell him the truth, or he would find out when he shot Dick and see that he wouldn’t die, “I’m not from this world, I don’t think.”
“Bullshit,” Hood spat.
“I mean it!” Dick growled, baring his fangs which made Hood falter. Good, that’s all he needed. He moved with speed and agility that a human couldn’t possibly predict. He knocked Red Hood down and crushed the gun in his grip. In those ten seconds he was on top of Red Hood, smirking as his fangs glinted. Maybe he should’ve kept his composure longer but his patience died when he became Vampire King. If he was still even that in this world. So much to learn, so much to take. He stared down at Jason, would he be the first to be turned in this new world? Dick considered it for a minute. In his world Jason was a hotheaded rash human, and as a vampire he was feral and volatile. Vicious. Dick could use that now.
“Fuck,” Hood cursed, “Robin no!”
Before Dick could think he felt a bar press against his throat and yank him away from Hood. A grunt escaped him as he pressed flat on his back with the end of the bo staff pressing into his throat. And looking down at him was none other than Robin, Damian Wayne. This one was older than his Damian, more filled out and taller. Probably taller than Tim by the looks of it. But the same look of bored disdain was on his face. Good to know that was the same.
“This is foolish, Hood,” Robin remarked, “if he really is Nightwing from another world we should take him to the cave.”
“He has fangs,” Hood snapped, “whatever he is he isn’t human, and he isn’t our Nightwing.”
“Where else could we keep him contained?” Robin snapped, “Your base? Hm?”
“Don’t you fucking dare-”
“It’s not my fault that father won’t allow him back,” Robin said, “you know I hate that as much as you. Shockingly.”
“He doesn’t go to the cave,” Hood said, “no one goes back there.”
“Fine, then you will explain this to Red Robin not me,” Robin said then looked down at Dick with a bored gaze. “A Nightwing from a different world who's a vampire. This can not be an accident. How did you get here?”
“Does it look like I know?” Dick growled out, the end of the bo staff pressing harder into his neck, “good to see you're the same in every universe, Robin.”
“And you're pathetic in this other one, I see,” Robin remarked, “try anything and I will kill you. I do not have the qualms against killing like your Robin.”
That made Dick’s eyes narrow. If this Robin killed, along with Red Hood, and they didn’t go to the cave then what the hell was happening here? Maybe this Gotham isn’t as simple as he anticipated. Something was going on here and whatever it was all traced back to the death of their Dick Grayson. This was something he could either exploit or would be his downfall. Only time would tell.
The base they took him to, or the safe house rather, was an expensive building. One that no doubt was owned mostly by Bruce Wayne. Or so he thought until he saw the Drake Industries insignia on the elevator door. That made him wonder if they were still living off Bruce’s fund or Tim’s. Did the Drakes have enough funds to cover their night jobs? Probably not, Tim had neglected his family's business in favor of Wayne Enterprises for years in their world. He doubted it was any different in this world. Yet the entire elevator ride up was silent until they stepped out on the twenty third floor. The blade Damian had pressed between his shoulder blades dug a little deeper as Jason, sans helmet, whirled around to face him.
“You’re going straight into a fucking cell and if you so much as try to escape I’ll put a wooden bullet between your eyes,” Jason growled and for a moment Dick wondered if Jason was a vampire as well the way his voice lowered, “and if you go anywhere near Tim, I’ll slit your fucking throat.”
“Why so protective over Timmy?” Dick cooed, the expression on Jason’s face morphed to murderous as he pressed the gun under Dick’s chin.
“What did you do to him in your world?” Jason hissed.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Dick smiled, “Let’s just say he didn’t take kindly to my vampirism, I just returned the favor.”
“You killed him,” Damian said matter of factly, “if you try that here I will kill you.”
“Get him in the fucking cell,” Jason snapped, “I’m going to check on Tim.”
“You can’t keep me in there forever Jaybird!” Dick mocked as Damian led him deeper into the building.
“You will be quiet or I will cut your tongue out,” Damian threatened, “and if it grows back I will just cut it again.”
“Buzzkill,” Dick said and walked into the cell. There was temptation to dart out before the door closed but seeing Damian’s expression made him think twice. Sure he had been Vampire King, but Damian Wayne was still the deadliest force he had ever encountered. He didn’t want to tempt that fate so soon. With one last look Damian scoffed at him and stepped out of the room, leaving him alone in the sterile cell. It was a far cry from the cells in the batcave that were built into the rock walls. This one was clearly meant to hold someone as strong as Superman. Dick wouldn’t be able to get out of this one on his own. But he hasn't fed yet, he wasn’t strong enough to use any sort of power. His growl echoed through the room. Not even his hands slamming down on the glass could crack it. He was well and truly fucked for the time being. Shit.
He couldn’t keep track of time there. No windows, no way to look out on the suns positions and no form of clock in there. Eventually the main door slid open and in walked Damian with a single bag of blood. He was better than drinking out of a bag but the sight of it did make his blood water. A small opening in the glass let Damian slide it to him. Dick glared at him, he wouldn’t do while Damian was watching him no doubt to mock him.
“You’re not use to us dead,” Damian said, “drink.”
“I’m going to need more,” Dick said.
“That should be enough to keep you alive,” Damian said, “we’re not foolish enough to give you enough to reach your full strength. Trust me, Grayson, you will not make fools of us.”
“Want to make a bet?” Dick hissed.
“I would, but I don’t feel like knocking you while you’re still down, it's a little beneath me,” Damain said.
“Since when is that beneath you? You did it to Tim enough,” Dick sneered.
“My relationship with Drake is of no concern to you,” Damian said bluntly but Dick caught the way his fists tightened. Interesting. That struck a nerve when Tim was nothing but dirt beneath his feet to Damian for so long. Oh he could use this.
“I do miss my dear baby brother Timmy, why won’t you let me see him,” Dick whined, just the right way to make Damian flinch. The tone must be familiar to him. Dick had used it enough on his brothers when he was human to get what he wanted. Of course back then he wanted things like hugs, favors, and time with them. Not their blood or their deaths.
“Keep his name out of your mouth,” Damian hissed.
“Did I strike a nerve?” Dick asked. All Damian did was glare and turn on his heel to march out of the room.
It only took seconds before Dick tore into the blood bag. It was cold and a little coagulated but he didn’t care. It was ambrosia when it hit his tongue and he greedily drained the bag. He craved more, needed more. But he should’ve seen that coming. In every universe the bats were a paranoid bunch.
The next visitor was Jason, this time out of his Red Hood attired and in sweats. With clear dark bags under his eyes and a scowl that rivaled Damian’s. Dick sat up in interest from where he was laying on the pathetic cot they had in the cell. A human would have suffered from an aching back but to Dick it was nothing but a mild annoyance. Jason got close to the class, his breath fogging it up.
“Can I help you?” Dick asked with an eyebrow cocked.
“Why?”
“You’re going to have to be more specific,” Dick said, walking over to the glass. Jason had a few inches on him when he was human, as a vampire they were nearly the same height now.
“Why did you kill Tim?” Jason asked calmly. Calmer than Dick expected him to.
“He stood in my way,” Dick said simply.
“In your way of what?” Jason asked.
“Getting what I wanted, what any of my kind wants Jason. What you wanted, power,” Dick said with a small smirk, “you laughed when I killed him, so high off bloodlust that when I stomped his head in you didn’t care. Not that you would’ve cared anyways.”
“Stop,” Jason breathed out and closed his eyes.
“You lapped up his blood and you enjoyed it,” Dick said, even if it was a lie.
“Stop it,” Jason whispered, stepping back.
“What Jason? Scared of me? Or scared of what you could be capable of if you became like me?” Dick teased. “Shame, you made an excellent vampire.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Jason said and opened his eyes to glare at Dick.
“Did I make you mad?” Dick asked, head tilting to the side.
“You’re a piece of shit,” Jason whispered and shook his head, “I don’t know why I came in here.”
“Maybe to confirm your worst fears, or maybe to try and convince yourself that I could be your big brother Dick, the one who died,” Dick said with a shrug, “but you came to me.”
“I thought that no matter, no matter what was done to us or happened to us you would always be our big brother,” Jason said with a hard gaze, “that you would protect us no matter what. Our Dick did, he died protecting Tim. You’re a fucking monster. I was wrong to assume that. You could never be half the man Dick Grayson is in every other universe. You’re the bottom of the barrel, asshole.”
“I was a king!” Dick roared as Jason turned and walked away. His hand slammed down on the glass, rage surged through his veins, “You worshiped me! Everyone worshiped me! I had everything!”
“Then how did you end up here? A whole different universe and in a cell you can’t get out of, your majesty?” Jason mocked without even turning to look at him before slamming the door shut.
If they heard him raging and tearing the few items in the cell apart, not a single one of his brothers came down to see him in hours. It might’ve been days. All he got was a silent Damian dropping off another blood bag hours later and leaving wordlessly. It made Dick shake with unbridled fury.
He was a goddamn king but Jason was right. Here he was nothing but a prisoner in a cell.
That's how it went. For weeks, he assumed based on the dates of the blood bags. Neither Damian or Jason made conversation with him. Not for his lack of trying. He poked, prodded, mocked, and did anything he knew would usually get a reaction out of them. But he would get nothing but silent glares from Jason and bored eye rolls from Damian. All while he never got stronger, but he didn’t get weaker. They maintained him enough to where he wouldn’t die but wouldn’t be able to escape. No matter how much he raged, screamed, and tore things apart nothing changed. He was a prisoner at his younger brother’s mercy.
But he never saw Tim. That angered him the most. Tim, who figured him out and tried to kill him. Tim who almost succeeded in bringing him down. Tim, who if Dick didn’t get that moment of doubt would have succeeded. Yet in this universe he never saw him. He could assume he was somewhere in this tower, watching him through video feeds and planning how to kill him. Or maybe planning how they could use him, control him and bend him to their will. Planning his downfall again. When Dick got his hands on him in this life he’d tear him apart, drink his blood and feast on him until there was nothing but a cold husk left. Or maybe he’d turn him and unleash him on this world and watch it burn. Watch it turn to worship him again.
When the door slid open again, sooner than he expected, he thought it would be Jason or Damian on the other side. Looking up he saw neither. He saw Tim.
But this wasn’t his Tim, nor was it the Tim he was expecting. There was no Red Robin suit or raised chin and calculated gaze. No lion in sheep’s clothing. No this one was the wide eyes of a child with the dark bags of exhaustion. Tim was thin, thinner than Dick knew he was and the sweater he was wearing swallowed his figure. There were two jagged scars on his neck, on was the slit he knew came from Jason but the other was vertical down his throat, disappearing under his shirt. There was another going down from just under his eye to his jaw. Another over the bridge of his nose and extending over both cheeks. Tim’s mouth moved but no words slipped past his pale lips. Dick couldn’t do anything but stare at this frail version of his brother.
“Dick,” Tim finally whispered as his eyes began to glisten as he walked to the glass.
One shaking hand rose to press his palm to the glass and Dick could see various scars on his hands. A few fingers were straight but held ghosts of crooked fingers. When his sleeve slid down Dick could only see even more scars, one spiraling up his arm until it anchored in his palm. Dick didn’t say anything. He was too busy staring at the scars that were visible and wondering what was under the baggy clothes Tim wore. He didn’t register the glass sliding open until Tim vaulted against his chest and gripped onto Dick’s shoulders while heaving sobs left his frame. His entire body shook with them and Dick was pretty sure he was what was keeping Tim on his feet, even if he had to be on his tiptoes to press his face into Dick’s neck. He could hear Tim’s thundering heart, the blood in his veins, but Dick felt no urge to feed. No, for the first time since being turned he felt something other than anger and blood lust. He wrapped his arms around Tim, one hand resting on the back of his head as they lowered to the floor. Tim’s tears soaked the skin of his neck as he tucked himself impossibly close to Dick. The shaking never stopped. It didn’t matter how much Dick tried to soothe him, doing things he remembers from when he was human, but nothing brought comfort to Tim.
“Get the fuck away from him,” Jason’s voice made him look up and the barrel of a gun was aimed right at him. Again. He was tired of that sight. A growl rumbled from Dick’s chets the closer Jason got.
“Drake,” Damian’s voice was even, “this is not the Grayson from our world.”
“I don’t care,” Tim sobbed, “he’s back, he’s back, he’s back-”
“Tim, he killed his Tim get the fuck away from him,” Jason snapped but it bordered on a plea.
“He wouldn’t, n-no, he wouldn’t,” Tim’s head shook as he pulled back from Dick, his face distressed and eyes wide. Dick missed his little brother’s warmth on his cold skin.
“Shhh, Tim,” Dick said softly, running a hand down his wet, scarred cheeks, “my Tim was not you.”
“You’re not,” Tim choked on his words, “you’re not him?”
“No,” Dick said.
It seemed that with that one word he finished shattering Tim Drake. His hands moved to Dick’s biceps and squeezed as he wailed, head down. Dick instinctively grabbed his forearms so he wouldn’t tumble to the group. But that sound, it wasn’t human. It was like a wounded animal using the last of its energy to express its defeat. He kept wailing, kept sobbing and trembling.
“Tim,” Jason’s expression was just as broken as he tucked his weapon away as he kneeled down next to them paying no mind to Dick and rested his hand on Tim’s chest, “hey kid breathe, just breath.”
“What the hell is happening to him, Jason?” Dick growled.
“Now is not the time,” Jason snapped, trying to coach a full breath from Tim but all the younger did was shake his head and sob harder, a gag mixing in there.
“He’s not calming down, Todd,” Damian said with pained eyes and a syringe in his hand.
“Give him a few more minutes,” Jason reasoned.
“He can’t afford to make himself sick again,” Damian said and kneeled on Tim’s other side, “I’m sorry Drake.”
“Wait,” Dick halted him and with the small strength he did have he extended that mental connection, wove it in with Tim’s own mind. He could feel Tim’s agony, his heartbreak and sadness, but he focused. “Tim.” His younger brother looked up with the grayed over eyes seen when Dick used his compulsion, “breathe.” Tim did so without issue, his frame still shaking, “sleep.” Seconds later Tim was collapsing onto Dick’s figure. He caught him ease and growled when Jason tried to pull Tim out of his arms. The connection in their minds was still there, still needing to be nurtured. Something he never did before. There was something different about this one that Dick couldn’t name.
“What the hell do you do to him?” Jason snapped.
“Compulsion,” Dick said, maneuvering Tim until he was cradled against his chest, “what the hell happened to him?”
“What the hell happened to you? You went from wanting to kill us to-”
“I don’t know,” Dick said frustratedly, he should be wanting to tear them all apart and gain the power he once had but the thought of doing anything more than soothing Tim’s pain away made him want to hurl. His fingers ghosted over the scars on Tim’s face, wiping away the stray tears and drying off his skin.
“Promise not to kill him or us and I’ll tell you,” Jason said and Dick looked up at him.
“I swear it,” Dick said.
“Fine,” Jason grumbled and stood, “c’mon dickface, he needs actual sleep and not in your lap but in a bed. Let’s get him to his.”
“Know that my threat still stands,” Damian warned, “but you have managed to calm him. So you're in the clear, for now.”
“Great,” Dick grumbled but was gentle as he stood with Tim in his arms. The teenager’s head rolled onto his shoulder and Dick felt each breath on the skin of his neck the entire way to the elevator, up and out to the floor he presumed they actually lived on.
The penthouse was huge, stairs on the far right leading to more floors. On this one was just a spacious kitchen with an open concept to the living room. It was decently clean, aside from uniform pieces and weapons strewn about. Jason cocked his head for Dick to follow him down a hall. There were only a few doors, four to be exact. The farthest from the hall’s entrance was where Jason led him and opened the door.
Tim’s room was just as messy as it usually was. Except this time half the mess came from the sheets on the floor with pillows strewn about. Dick stepped around it and waited for Jason to pull the sheets back to lay Tim down. He stepped back and watched with trained eyes and Jason methodically tucked him in. A long pillow on the edge of the bed, another near his hands to grip. A weighted blanket on top of it all. With a brush of Tim’s hair away from his face Jason stepped away and motioned for them to get out. It was then that Dick noticed Damian hadn’t followed them in.
“Kids in the living room, probably eating,” Jason mumbled as he softly closed the door. Jason led the way and Dick followed, mentally chastising him for turning his back on a predator. But he followed him with no ill intent for the first time since he appeared here.
“Drake asleep?” Damian asked from his place at the island. Jason nodded and ran his fingers through his hair. “How long do you think it will last this time?”
“A while,” Dick answered for him, “I could feel his exhaustion, the compulsion will take longer than usual to wear off.”
“Thank god,” Jason breathed, letting his shoulders sag as he leaned against the island table.
“Now talk. What the hell happened to Tim?” Dick asked, crossing his arms over his chest, letting his eyes fade to their now natural red.
“You died,” Jason answered simply, “and it destroyed Bruce.”
“That’s not an answer, Jason,” Dick snarled.
“Christ you want all the gorey details? Fine,” Jason snapped, “The baby bird got in over his head as usual and you went to go save his ass. He was getting his ass handed to him, lack of spleen and a recent cold made him not as strong as he usually is.”
“His lack of what?” Dick snapped, “He doesn’t have a fucking spleen ?”
“What, your Tim has his?” Jason asked, “Or had, better said.
“He did,” Dick said, “you let him on the field without a damn spleen?”
“You try and keep him from going out as Red Robin,” Jason answered but sighed, “do you want to know or not?”
“Go on,” Dick said, taking deep breaths to control his anger at that revelation.
“You swung with all your glory, it was easy taking down the goons. But when you turned to check on Red one got the drop on you,” Jason winced, “beat you to death in front of him. The mask footage showed you begging Tim to run but the kid just kept sobbing that he couldn’t. You didn’t know it then but Tim’s leg had been snapped. He had too much blood in his mouth to tell you.”
“Shit,” Dick breathed but he knew he needed to get his hands on that footage. Then find who killed this version of him.
“Bruce was destroyed,” Damian said and the lack of calling him father made Dick’s eyebrow raise, “he couldn’t handle his first son, arguably his favorite son, being killed. He blamed Drake, lost it on him at the med bay. Alfred tried to placate him but not even he could do anything. Ripped everything off him and kicked him out. Changed all his codes so he couldn’t use any zetatubes to get anywhere else.”
“I was coming back from getting clothes when I saw him, wanted to rip the old bastard a new one but Tim needed help,” Jason explained, “so I took him in, got the Outlaws help to put him back together. And he healed until he was back to his stubborn self. Shut himself off just like when Kon and Bart died.”
“I remember,” Dick hummed.
“Didn’t know what he was planning but I knew the little shit was planning something,” Jason sighed and ran a hand over his face, “he reached out to Bruce without me knowing. Bruce reached back out, some bullshit about letting his emotions get the better of him and wanting to make amends. Instead when Tim showed up expecting Bruce to welcome him back he was locked in the cave and hunted down. Those scars on his face? On his neck? They’re from batarangs. Bruce ripped him open from pelvis to chin. Tim was a civvies so there was no armor, no chest plate to protect him. Bruce didn’t account for Damian coming home from patrol when comms cut off. It took Damian, me, and Cass to get Bruce away from Tim long enough for us to push him back into a cell. Then to the Watchtower.”
“Superman covered for us, we did not want the league knowing Bruce’s state,” Damian said, “That would create a manhunt in Gotham and that is the last thing we need. Let him brutalize the criminals, as long as they stay scared and he stays busy we can protect Tim.”
Dick was shaking. He was shaking with rage he was all too familiar with and he remembered exactly why he plunged his hand through Bruce’s chest in the first place. The image of Tim from Jason and Damian’s minds floated into his. Tim’s shaking hands not knowing where to put pressure. Guts spilled out and choked breathes. An overwhelming amount of blood all over him. Enough to wonder Dick how the hell this kid was still alive.
“Ever since then Tim, well,” Jason motioned his hand towards the hall, “he idolized Batman, loved Bruce. For so long Bruce was his parent since his sucked and then died. Only for him to then…it broke something in Tim that I don’t think any of us can heal.”
“Bruce is still hunting him down,” Damian said, “we suspect he has found him but Drake made this place impenetrable before everything, Bruce won’t go after either of us lest he risk losing another son. He’s content with us being alive for now. But we know how he is, he will not stop until Tim is dead.”
“Why haven’t you killed him yet?” Dick hissed, “Seeing as you have no problem killing others but not to protect Tim.”
“It’s not like we haven’t fucking tried,” Jason argued, “that fucker, he keeps surviving! The only one of us who could ever outsmart him is Tim. But we can’t ask that of him now, maybe ever.”
“I did it, in my world,” Dick said, “I could do it again.”
“That was a Bruce that loved us, loved you, and would trust any one of us without question,” Jason said, “none of us can’t even step foot in Bristol without a batarang ending up embedded somewhere in us.”
“Case in point,” Damian said and pulled down his sleeve to reveal a jagged scar on his forearm, “if it wasn’t for my excellent reflexes that would’ve gone in my forehead.”
“I can get in, batarangs won’t kill me,” Dick said, “I-”
He was cut off with a shriek coming from down the hall. They were all running before he could register that he was. Jason was the first one there, pulling Tim off the bed and into his arms. He thrashed and screamed until he realized who was holding him. And when he did he just broke, sagged into Jason and sobbed as Damian began to fix the sheets.
“It’s alright Tim,” Jason said softly and looked up, “Dick’s here too.”
He didn’t intend on taking part, just watching, but that tug on the back of his mind lit up. Tim’s paralyzing fear ran down his spine and he was on the floor cupping Tim’s cheeks and cooing before he knew it. He wiped the tears away and didn’t need words to get him breathing normally again. After a few more minutes he was slumping into Jason again and Dick positioned Tim’s head in a comfortable position.
“Feeling better baby bird?” Jason said, running his hand over Tim’s cheek. All he got in response was a nod and Tim curling further into his chest. “Good, good. Dami is gonna stay the night with you alright?”
“Come, Drake,” Damian said in the softest voice Dick had ever heard him use as he helped Tim back into bed and got in next to him. The younger curled around Tim, a deadly force encasing him and humming something in Arabic.
“Come,” Jason whispered and patted Dick’s shoulder. It was so natural, so comfortable, as he followed Jason out to the hall and closed the door behind him. “This is gonna go on all night but Damian is there to stop the nightmares before they get too bad. Means he’ll be out of commission tomorrow, Tim latches onto whoever he spends the night with. You probably want to get out of that.”
“I should,” Dick hummed and watched Jason shift awkwardly.
“The first door was supposed to be yours. Um, we brought some of your clothes and stuff here so Bruce wouldn’t hoard it all,” Jason said, “s’got a shower and everything. Meet me back in the kitchen when you're done.”
Dick hadn’t savored a shower like this in years. He scrubbed weeks of grime off him, even though he was a vampire he was still disgusted with the state of himself. Scrubbed blood off his skin and grease from his hair. Then he stood under the spray of water for a little longer. Feeling its warmth, sink into his cold bones. He stayed there until Jason knocked on his door with a curse about how he had been in there for nearly an hour. Dick stepped out and grabbed a pair of sweats with a Bludhaven PD sweatshirt. It was all so familiar, so human. So like him, or the human him. Looking in the mirror he saw his brown skin and red eyes reflected back at him. For a second he willed them to blue and he understood how he fooled everyone so easily. There had been no way to know it was him who betrayed them. For the slightest second something twanged in his chest but he shoved it down just as quickly as it appeared. He turned away from his reflection and went out to meet Jason in the kitchen who, by the looks of his matching wet hair, had also showered. Except he was in a Gotham U shirt. Dick’s eyes trained over the scars on his arms, some he recognized others he didn’t.
“We gotta set some rules,” Jason said as he grabbed a mug from the microwave and slid it over to Dick. Blood. Warmed blood. Had he been human he would’ve been touched at the gesture. But he settled for sipping on it the way Jason was sipping on his peppermint tea, by the scent of it he had slipped some whiskey in there. Of course only Dick would smell it. The more he drank the more his senses came alive. Like a veil being lifted off him. He could smell Jason’s aftershave and slightest hint of sulfur from gunshot residue, despite his gloves. He could hear Tim’s soft breathing and Damian’s steady heartbeat. The city was coming alive to him as he continued to drink. The cars, train, wind it was all finally being heard.
“Naturally,” Dick said.
“No feeding off any of us, or any heroes, or any innocent civilians. Goons, rogues, dirty cops, abusers, rapists, go nuts. Don’t turn any of them, the last thing we need in Gotham is a vampire problem,” Jason said and Dick tried to hide his smirk, of course Jason would think that a vampire problem could be contained to just Gotham.
“That’s fair,” Dick said, “anything else?”
“You can’t let anyone know your alive yet, Barbie took it hard,” Jason said, “left Gotham, got herself some quiet place in Florida. She hears your back and she’ll drop everything.”
“Barbara,” he scowled, making no effort to hide his disdain.
“I don’t know what the hell happened between you and your Barbara, but this Barbara and the other you were engaged,” Jason said and Dick’s eyes flickered up to him.
“She betrayed me, killed me. That’s how I ended up here,” Dick said.
“Well that makes me think Barbie had the right idea,” Jason sighed, “this is the last thing she needs right. She left this life behind. If there’s anything this version of you would have wanted for her is the peaceful life she has now.”
“Fine,” Dick conceded, he didn’t know if he would be able to put the betrayal behind him and this world’s Barbara didn’t seem to deserve that.
“Bruce, he’s our problem. Not yours, not mine, not Damian and not Tim’s, ours,” Jason said, “we don’t do anything without consulting it. Any gap, any sign of a hole and he’ll use it to exploit us. Damian and I try hard to work together but there’s a lot of ego and temper between us.”
“Great that you realize it,” Dick said and Jason glared.
“Point being, if Bruce turns us against each other, gets us riled up enough to let the pit in both of us take over he’ll win and he will kill Tim,” Jason said, “he tried once, and if it wasn’t for me snapping out of it first them Tim would be dead. We work together, no secrets.”
“No secrets,” Dick echoed, hating that Bruce exploited something so uncontrollable as the pit in his sons to murder another. But that would be something he would do, in his other world he would have used that to his advantage had Damian been dipped.
“Damian and I still patrol, Gotham needs some sense of control,” Jason explained, “especially since Batman is back to maiming people. When we’re out, you do not leave Tim alone. Ever.”
“Why?” Dick asked.
“Some of those scars are from himself,” Jason mumbled, dipping the tea bag in and out before settling to toss it in the sink, “took the blame Bruce was throwing at him and tried to kill himself. That sick bastard made sure to save Tim so he could kill him himself later.”
“Shit,” Dick breathed out.
“Do not, and I mean this Dick, do not ever bring up Conner fucking Kent,” Jason said, “not in front of Tim, around Tim, near Tim. Don’t even think about him around Tim.”
“What the hell does Superboy have to do with any of this?” Dick asked.
“Took a kryptonite batarang through the heart for Tim. Spends his days in a tube down at Lexcorp while they try to stop the kryptonite from killing him. Nothing has worked so far and Tim…he’s only talked about Kon once since it happened and it wasn’t a pretty conversation,” Jason explained, setting his mug down. “Clark stops by sometimes, you can let him. He likes to check up on Tim but he doesn’t let Tim see, he cries every time Clark is here. But he’s on our side.”
“Why has he killed Bruce?” It would be so easy for Superman to fly into the cave and just snap Bruce’s neck.
“Because he loves Bruce too much for that,” Jason mumbled, “can’t bring himself to do it, almost did after Kon but didn’t. Love is a tricky, disgusting thing.”
“You say that from experience,” Dick said and tracked all of Jason’s movements, even the way his right hand ghosted over his left ring finger. “Roy?”
“With Kori,” Jason mumbled, “it's better this way. They’re happy, I can’t be there for Roy when I have all this shit going on. And if I die protecting Tim, I don’t want to be responsible for his relapse now or ever. Kor’s got him she’ll keep him safe from himself.”
“Jason-”
“No,” Jason said, clearing his throat and blinking away tears. Dick could smell the saltiness in the air as Jason continued, “I’m not talking about this with you. Those are the rules, stick to them or I’ll kill you.”
“Fine,” he said and his ears picked up on Tim’s breath hitching. It was followed by Damian’s soft voice soothing him in Arabic before the two settled back down for the night.
Dick had come here with a plan to continue his work from before, to plunge this work into darkness and have vampires take over. That wasn’t his plan anymore. He just wasn’t sure what he wanted to do next.
It was quiet for the next few days. Tim didn’t really come out of his room. Damian had mentioned Tim was extra tired these days, healing from Bruce’s brutal attack took a toll on him because of his missing spleen. He had only recently been able to start walking around without someone’s help. So it was no surprise he had spent the next few days mostly asleep, only wandering out times Dick wasn’t around. Never on purpose, according to Jason, because Tim kept asking for him to make sure he hadn’t been hallucinating. Dick knows that feeling all too well. So it was a little surprising when he heard the soft patter of feet towards the kitchen one night. He was leaning against the island waiting for his blood to finish heating up in the mug designated as his when he looked over and saw Tim tugging at his sleeves as he walked over.
“Hey Tim,” he breathed out, “hungry?”
“No,” Tim mumbled and sat on one of the stools.
“You gotta eat something or Jason will have my ass, anything you can stomach?” Dick asked as he pulled his mug out when the microwave beeped.
“Soup?” Tim asked and Dick nodded. He grabbed a can from the pantry and cracked it open, throwing it into a pot with some water. And some spices. Because that can on its own should be a disgrace, even as a vampire he recognized it.
“Coming right up,” he said and sipped on his blood as the soup simmered. Like it was totally normal. He supposes that this was his new normal.
“Why did you kill me? The other me?” Tim asked and Dick stopped for a moment before swallowing the blood he had in his mouth to avoid spitting all over the kitchen.
“Why?”
“I’m curious,” Tim answered in a way that was just so distinctly Tim that Dick couldn’t help the small smile.
“You almost stopped me, almost killed me,” Dick said, “but you hesitated because I put the fangs and red eyes away. Pretended that I wasn’t in control.”
“I faltered,” Tim said and Dick nodded.
“Don’t ever falter here Tim,” Dick said, “I…things are different now and I don’t want you to get hurt much less die.”
“I…I can feel you,” Tim said, “when I’m really scared you’re just…there.”
“Does it help?” Dick asked and Tim nodded softly. “I can feel when you’re scared. I don’t know why, vampires weren’t exactly compassionate in my world. All we really felt was blood lust. But here, I don’t know. Maybe it has to do with this being a different world.”
“I’m glad you feel something else,” Tim said softly and remorse coated his face, “I’m sorry I tried to kill you.”
“Hey, no, Tim,” Dick said quickly and grabbed Tim’s shockingly cold hands, “it was what you should’ve done, I see that now. I was…awful.”
“I killed you in this universe.” Tim’s shoulders shook as he took shaky breaths. Dick turned the stove off before walking to Tim’s side. He cupped Tim’s cheeks and made him look up at him.
“You did not kill me here, Tim,” Dick said, “I know what happened. I know what I would’ve done had I been human, I would have done the exact same. You lived and that’s what mattered to him, to me.”
“It ruined everything, I ruined everything,” he whispered, a few tears spilling over and Dick quickly brushed them away.
“No,” Dick said strongly, “Bruce ruined it. He had the chance to be better than when Jason died, to be stronger. He had more children than when Jason died. They needed a father and he became a monster instead because it was easier,” he closed his eyes at the realization that began to dawn on him, “it was easier to give in and become the monster than to fight it to be better, to be strong for the ones you love.”
“I missed you Dick,” Tim whispered as he hugged Dick and tucked his head under his neck. Dick didn’t hesitate to pull him close, to revel in the thrum of his heart beat.
“I missed you too, Tim,” Dick whispered, running his fingers through his hair.
Tim started to come out more, sleep less, in the next few weeks. He stuck to Dick like glue which gave Damian and Jason to recover. To get some extremely needed sleep. It helped that Dick could feel the incoming nightmares and sooth Tim before he stirred, and that he didn’t need as much sleep as a human. So he let himself take charge of Tim. Oh helping him, healing him, while he let Jason and Damian revel in Tim’s progress. Because his little brothers deserve that fucking much. Something the old him would have scoffed at, he had killed them and made them suffer in the other world because Dick refused to call it his world. Not anymore. Not as he held Tim’s trembling body after a particularly bad nightmare that ended with him curled around the toilet and puking up his dinner.
“Shh, it’s alright Tim,” Dick whispered into his younger brother’s hair, “breathe Tim, just breathe.”
“I can fix it, I can fix it I promise,” Tim sobbed, trembling as he gripped Dick’s shirt. It was such a weak grip, even for a human, it made Dick’s unbeating heart ache.
“I know you can baby bird,” Dick soothed, “I know you can but you don’t have to.”
“Please, Dick, please,” Tim sobbed and pressed his face into his older brother’s cold chest.
“Let me take care of it, Tim,” Dick said softly, running his hands down his back. His fingers could feel the places where Tim’s spine jutted out of his skin. Even if the kid had started to put on weight again he was just so fucking skinny.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated and Dick soothed him, as long as he would need until Tim was settled again and they were both in bed curled under the sheets. Where Jason and Damian would join them after patrol if it was too grueling.
It only took a few days after that for Dick to realize Jason wasn’t kidding about egos and tempers flaring. He just never expected it to be Tim’s and Jason’s clashing. The two were arguing, he forgot what even started it but he remembers he was at the root of it. He also knows the last few patrols had been difficult. Lots of run ins with the bat and Jason was stretched thin. Almost too thin. Dick could see it in his pale face and dark bags. Jason was taking the brunt of this to spare his younger brothers. And because he still didn’t trust Dick enough to share that brunt.
“He isn’t our Dick, Tim! He never will be!” Jason yelled, eyes flaring dangerously green.
“But he could be! H-He could come back and we could show Bruce a-and everything will go back to how it was!” Tim stammered from where he stood, Damian glared at Jason. Challenging to argue.
“It will never be like that again Tim, get that through your head!” Jason was furious now, his eyes blazing and veins popping in his neck.
“How do you know!” Tim sobbed, “How do you know?”
“Jason, stop,” Dick warned, taking a step towards where Tim stood trembling.
“He almost killed you Tim,” Jason hissed, “had it not been for Damian you would be dead.”
“Todd,” Damian hissed warningly.
“You tried to kill me too!” Tim cried out, “And look at us now! We-”
“I was hopped up on lazarus rage, Bruce planned your death, Tim, with a clear mind. He lured you into the cave, a place you thought was safe and tortured you,” Jason said deathly calm, calm in a way only fury could bring.
“Jason,” Dick growled when Tim let out another sob and flinched back.
“He tore you open!” Jason bellowed.
“Jason!” Dick finally yelled and pulled Tim into his arms, lowering to the ground as his younger brother trembled and sobbed in his arms, “Get out. Take a walk. Now.”
“He-”
“Now,” Dick growled, flashing his red eyes and fangs at Jason. Jason yelled in anger and kicked the stool at the island hard enough to dent the metal before storming off. Dick tugged Tim closer, head under his chin and started to rub circles into his back.
“I’ll got after him,” Damian said.
“Stop,” Dick said and Damian looked at him with tired eyes. It reminded him just how young Damian was. To be torn between his brothers and his father, in the middle of something no kid should have to be in the middle of. So Dick extended his other arm and uttered one word, “Come.”
He didn’t expect Damian to rush at him. It didn’t matter, he braced himself for the impact of his youngest brother’s tight embrace. His face pressed into chest and his frame shook with the force of trying to control his own sobs. Dick wrapped his other arm around Damian and squeezed gently. He could feel the spread of Damian’s agony as something ghosted in the back of his mind alongside his connection to Tim.
“I’ve got you, I’ve got both of you,” Dick whispered to them, hands pushing hair back and rubbing circles into backs.
It took a few tries but he managed to hoist both his brothers on either side of him and head to the bed in his room, even if it was rarely used, But it was big enough for the three of them to lay there as the TV played some mindless reality show. They laid there in a pile until Tim was sound asleep and Damian was fighting his own battle with exhaustion.
“Sleep, little bird,” Dick hummed, ghosting his fingers over Damian’s arm.
“I never blamed him,” Damian whispered, “I hated Drake for so long but I could never blame him for you dying. I know you would have done that for me, for Todd.”
“I would, and I will,” Dick responded.
“I couldn’t understand the visceral hate Father held towards,” Damian said sleepily, his guard down enough for the word to slip through, “when you died so did Father. I miss him so much but then I see Tim and wonder how could I miss that man?”
“It’s alright to miss who he was, Damian,” Dick assured him, “it doesn’t make you like him or bad. He was your father. Our father. And he let us down.”
“You were more of a father to me than he ever was, Grayson,” Damian muttered, sleep beginning to win the battle, “so do not go dying again. I will resurrect you and kill you myself.”
It wasn’t long before Jason came back, exhaustion clear on his frame and regret in his eyes. He had changed out of his Red Hood attire, even sped through a shower judging by his still wet hair. He stepped into the room and hesitated at the entrance until Dick motioned for him to lay with them. He expected Jason to curl around Tim or Damian, but instead he laid in the space between Dick’s legs and rested his head on his older brother’s stomach. Even if he didn’t need to breathe, Dick did for Jason’s sake.
“I didn’t mean to blow up,” Jason whispered, “you’ve been good, great even.”
“But I’m still not him,” Dick said softly.
“No, you’re not,” Jason whispered, voice thick, “and I have to accept that.”
“It’s alright, Jaybird,” Dick said and ruffled his hair. Neither mentioned the soft sob that left Jason when he did.
“I have a question, Jason,” Dick asked, only for a hum to be his response, “why didn’t any of you use the pit on him?”
“He never wanted that, made it really clear when we brought Damian back. Hell he barely wanted us to use it on Damian,” Jason said and Dick fought the urge to tense at the thought of not having Damian curled into his side.
“I can feel your exhaustion, Jaybird,” Dick whispered, feeling the weight at the back of his skull, “let me help you, please.”
“Okay,” Jason mumbled, “tomorrow, we’ll start tomorrow.”
“Day after tomorrow,” Dick corrected, “tomorrow we all need rest.”
“Yeah whatever,” Jason muttered as his eyes slipped shut and his breathing evened.
And just like that, his three little brothers were asleep on him. All safe in his embrace. Part of him wanted to cocoon them in here and never let them leave. Never let Gotham lay her hands on them again. He wanted to stay in this little bubble they had created twenty six floors above the Gotham streets.
Hearing their heart beats, feeling their soft breaths against his skin, all Dick thought was how could he possibly have destroyed this?
It was strange being back in the Nightwing suit. The adjustment from blue to red seemed natural. He wasn’t that Nightwing, not anymore. He hadn’t put his mask on yet, he stood a few floors down from the penthouse with Damian, Jason, and Tim. All except Tim in uniform. Even if Damian wasn’t going out they had to be ready in case they needed the back up. Dick would make sure they wouldn’t but it helped the younger two relax.
“I told Babs,” Jason said, “and like I predicted she’s packing up to come help. You can’t-”
“I know,” Dick said. He had sifted through their engagement pictures, all their memories together and he couldn’t help but feel deep sadness for Barbara, in similar ways they had lost each other. He had been betrayed by his Barbara, the one person he chose to turn deliberately and keep by his side and she had lost her Dick, her partner.
“We told those who needed to know your back, it will be a shock to those who don’t matter but especially to Bruce. Told them some crazy story about you taking a dip in an alternate pit,” Jason explained.
“Mother is on board,” Damian explained, “she owes Drake a favor for killing Grandfather and putting her in charge. She will agree with us on your dip in a pit and that the pit’s power was diminished by you. No chance of anyone else hunting for it.”
“Talia wanting to kill Bruce, that’s not new,” Dick hummed with arms.
“Before it was never real, she wanted to make him suffer for leaving her. Now, after seeing what he did to Tim, she wants him dead,” Jason explained. That was another secret they had kept from Dick before finally coming clean. Damian had reached out to his mother in a desperate attempt to save Tim when he wouldn’t stop bleeding at the Watchtower no matter what they did. Thankfully it didn’t come to that, but Talia was seething. He just didn’t know if it was at Damian’s desperation or Tim’s suffering. Talia had turned fiercely against Bruce.
“He’ll be gunning for you, begging you to come home,” Jason said, “just like he tried with me.”
“You have nothing to worry about with me,” Dick assured him, “rather tear my own tongue out.”
“Ew,” Tim’s nose scrunched in disgust and Dick let the ghost of a smile tug at his lips.
“This is going to be a shit show,” Jason grumbled, “you ready?”
“Don’t stay up waiting for us,” Dick winked at the younger two, “we’ll be back soon.”
“Christ,” Jason said, “I miss you being moody and stoic.”
“Shut up,” Dick said and slapped his shoulder as they walked to the elevator. He gave the younger two a salut which made them brighten up. Oh yeah, this was a good feeling.
“It’s good to have you back, Dick,” Jason said when the doors closed, “even if you’re a reformed homicidal vampire.”
“I don’t think you have a leg to stand on when it comes to homicidal tendencies,” Dick countered with a smirk.
“Seems like the only one of us that doesn’t have it is Tim,” Jason said as the elevator kept moving down.
“Because he’s the best of us,” Dick said softly.
“No argument there,” Jason said as the doors opened to the garage. A myriad of choices were laid out in front of him but he was drawn to the all familiar motorcycle he used in every world it seemed. Except this time it was red.
“Special order,” Jason said as he slipped his helmet and became the Red Hood. Everything from his stature to his presence changed. Red Hood held himself like the dangerous man he was. A robotic voice filtered out from the mask, “Ready, dickface?”
“Ready if you are, helmet head,” Nightwing said as he pressed his mask to his face. He slung his leg over the bike and roared it to life in time with Red Hood. He watched Hood take off first before following.
If there was one thing he didn’t realize he missed was the flying down Gotham streets. The wind in his hair and the city speeding past him. Sure he could out run the bike but nothing could beat the thrumming from its engine. He wove in and out of traffic in tandem with Hood. Two well oiled machines working as one, it helped that they had worked on forging the strange connection. Nightwing could tell what Red Hood was going to do next and let himself fall into step. He let Hood lead him towards a warehouse where they brought their bikes to a screeching stop. There was no subtlety tonight, they would be seen. They wanted to be seen.
“Any chance he’ll appear today?” Hood asked and Nightwing could feel the nervousness twinge in the back of his mind. Jason was scared, terrified of this. Even if he didn’t say it outloud Nightwing knew well what his little brother was feeling.
“If I have to kill him, are you going to let me?” Nightwing asked.
“No, I get to have the kill shot,” Hood said and lowered his collar to reveal a nasty scar, “as payment for this.”
“I-”
“ Dick!” Damian’s voice cried out through the comms which made both of them still. Damian never used their first names and on the rare occasion he did he would use their full names, never their nicknames. Nightwing didn’t hesitate to rev his bike up again and take off in the direction of the tower.
“Talk to me little bird, what's going on,” Nightwing said.
“He’s here,” Damian panted, “we’re trying to get out but he’s locked the building down.”
“Fuck!” Nightwing heard Hood’s curse over the sound of their bikes, “ditch the fucking bike and go!”
Nightwing didn’t hesitate to let the bike go sliding as he took off. He was faster than any bike and was well fed for an encounter with Batman. He didn’t think he’d have to race to get to his brothers first. It took no effort on his part to crash through the glass and through the metal doors that kept anything from going in or out. He took deep breaths and listened . There was no need for comms when he could bike out his little brother's heartbeats and scents. He rolled his shoulders, tipped his head back and inhaled again. This time he let instincts take over. For the first time in months he left Dick Grayson melt away to the Vampire King. And the king protected what was his.
“No!” Tim’s cry sent him going. It was all too easy, phasing into smoke and shooting through the building until he was on the floor they usually used for training. He burst through the vents, phasing back and kicking Batman off Damian. Damian, who was gasping for air and clutching at his neck. There was no blood, but the bruise was already forming. Damian spit up blood onto the floor as he tried to push himself up on shaky limbs only to fall back down. His eyes traveled to where Tim’s heartbeat led him. To where Tim was reaching for Damian and dragging himself on the floor with a train of blood behind him.
“Dick?” Batman’s voice was full of disbelief.
“Bruce,” Dick scowled and stepped forward.
“How are you alive?” He breathed a stood, “Son-”
“I’m not your son,” he snarled and bared his fangs, “you want a hunt old man? Run .”
Batman’s face hardened but he heard the click of a safety being shut off. Jason stepped out from the opposite side of the room, gun raised and ready to fire. His eyes shifted between the two of them. Sure, he in theory could take them both. But Dick’s fangs made him hesitate. Good.
“Todd, Grayson,” Damian snapped, “Drake needs medical, now.”
“Let him die Damian, it’s what he deserves,” Batman snarled.
“Go check on Tim,” Dick told Jason who for the slightest moment hesitated before tucking his gun into his waistband and rushing to Tim’s side.
Batman moved, assuming that this would be his opportunity. There weren’t many times before that Batman’s strategies and plans were wrong. He was calculated, intelligent, and thorough. He accounts for everything. Except for Dick coming back from the dead a vampire. The Vampire King. So when he made his move, Dick did too. His hand wrapped around the neck of the cowl and squeezed. The kevlar and leather cracked until his grip and Batman grasped at his wrists, the white lenses wide in shock.
“I should’ve killed you the moment I found out what you did to him,” Dick seethed as he pulled Batman close to his face, “should’ve torn you apart like you did to him.”
“Dick,” Jason’s voice made his head snap in their direction, “forget him you need to get Tim to a hospital.”
Dick’s eyes trailed over to where Jason’s hands were pressing down on Tim’s leg. He could see the red staining Jason’s hands and the tourniquet tied on his tight, close to the his. A batarang jutted out from between Jason’s hands. Thigh. Batarang. Femoral artery. Dick could hear the rushing of Tim’s blood, the stuttering of his breath and struggling of his heart. He let out a soft cry as Jason’s pressure deepend.
“C’mon baby bird stay with me, it’s gonna be alright,” Jason soothed as Tim’s face paled even more and sweat beaded down his forehead. It only took that moment of hesitation for Batman to free himself and flee. Dick took a stepforward to follow, but Tim’s hear sped up. Too quick to be natural.
“No, no, no stay with me Tim,” Jason begged, “you gotta stay awake.”
“Drake do not die on us, not after all this,” Damian said.
Dick whirled around and dropped to his knees next to him. Tim, who in another life he killed. But now his hands (Christ were they shaking?) cupped his cheeks and brushed the hair from his face. He weighed his options. Tim wouldn’t survive the change, he wasn’t strong enough for it. It would only finish killing off. His head ran through different lore, everything he had learned in his short stint as king. You must bite with intention, Dick Grayson , an ancient spoke had spoken to him when he was still in the throws of newly turned bloodlust , bite with intention . Bite with intention. Without another thought he grabbed Tim’s arm from Damian’s grasp and bit down. The other two protested but Dick raised his hand. Please Tim, you can’t die from this. Heal, Tim, heal. Dick withdrew his fangs and pulled away.
“Take the batarang out,” he said, blood dripping from his lips.
“Are you insane?! I pull it out and he bleeds to death,” Jason argued.
“Trust me, Jay, pull the batarang out,” Dick said. Jason stared at him for a moment, weighing his options from what Dick could see before cursing and yanking the batarang out. Tim cried out, back arching away from the pain and screaming.
“It’s alright Drake, we’re here,” Damian said.
“Dick,” Jason warned.
“I’ve got you Tim,” Dick said softly, brushing Tim’s hair from his forehead and squeezing his hand, “I’ve got you.”
“Holy shit,” Jason whispered and Dick looked over to see the skin of Tim’s thigh stitching itself back together. Muscles and veins being woven back together before skin covered it. All that was left was a cut, one that wasn’t even deep enough to need stitches. Dick gave his hand one last squeeze and the wound closed up. He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, even if he didn’t have the need to breathe.
“We’re not safe here,” Dick said, staring at the hole in the glass from where Batman made his escape.
“We’re not safe anywhere,” Damian whimpered, the first time Dick had ever heard him make that noise. He used his hand that wasn’t being gripped by Tim to pull him into his side.
“How far is Barbara?” Dick asked.
“I’ll check in with her,” Jason breathed, “you don’t think…”
“Not even Batman is ballsy enough to break into that place,” Dick said, “we don’t have much time.”
“Just, give me a moment,” Jason’s shaky tone made Dick falter. He cocked his head to the side and Jason didn’t hesitate to lean against him. Dick didn’t have a third arm but if he did he would’ve used it to pull Jason in. They had to settle for Dick’s chin resting on his hair but that seemed to do the trick for Jason. So they sat in a pile of limbs tangled together for a while, just breathing. They were all alive. They survive another encounter with Batman. But Dick knew, the next time he encountered Batman that he would tear Bruce Wayne apart for what he had done to them.
The Clocktower was just as he remembered it. Cozy, homey. It had been where he had pulled Barbara in for their first kiss, where they had made love for the first time, and where he had turned her. Being back was stranger, it made his stomach flip and a chill run down his spine. It took everything in him not to hightail it and run. He probably would have had it not been for the death grip Tim kept on his wrist.
“Hey Babs,” Jason breathed and pulled the familiar redhead in for a tight hug. He had to bend down to reach Barbara in her wheelchair, his Barbara had long since left it behind.
“Hey Jason,” she said softly and when her eyes drifted over to Dick there was no visible reaction. All that gave her away was the swallowing of her emotions as she whispered his name, “Dick.”
“Hey Barbara,” he breathed, her voice just as sweet as he remembered it being before he turned her. From his fuzzy human memories.
“The guest room is set up for you guys, I only had the one bed and a blowup mattress,” Barbara said, “not sure it'd be enough for the four of you.”
“It’s no problem Barbie,” Jason said, which made her roll her eyes and shove him playfully.
“Go on,” she motioned for them to go forward. Damian followed Jason towards the guest room but Tim stayed planted in place with Dick, despite his soft swaying. He had managed to heal Tim but the bite couldn’t replace the blood he had already lost. They only had time for a quick transfusion in the tower before fleeing, lest them risking Batman coming back.
“Hey,” Dick said softly, making Tim look up at him, “I gotta talk to Barbara, get some rest alright? I’ll be right there.”
“Promise?” His shaky voice asked.
“Promise,” Dick soothed and watched with careful eyes as Tim made his shaky walk towards the guest room. He could hear Jason mumbling and the creaking of the bed as Tim climbed in. Soon enough he was met with three pairs of even breathing and only then did he look at Barbara.
She hadn’t changed, not much. Her hair was longer than in his world. He supposes that in this world she didn’t need to cut it for vigilante work. It reached well past her shoulders in soft, red waves. Glasses rested on the bridge of her nose as she looked up at him. This wasn’t his Barbara, he reminded himself, she wasn’t the one who betrayed him. Yet that wound still stung.
“Dick,” she whispered again and smiled softly, “it’s good to see you, even if it’s a different you.”
“I wish I could say the same,” he said without thinking and winced internally, “my version of you drove a stake through my heart.”
“I imagine you deserved it, hm?” She said with her arms crossed instead of being offended in any way. This was Barbara, in all universes and versions she called him out on his bullshit. It was one of the many reasons he fell so deeply in love with her. She had been the only one to see past the Golden Boy exterior, past his carefully crafted image of smiling older brother. She saw all the ugly parts of Dick and still loved him, or so he thought.
“Can’t disagree,” Dick said with a soft smirk, “I imagine this place is impenetrable?”
“Please,” Barbara said and pushed herself towards the myriad of screens close to the clock face, “not even Superman could get in even if he really wanted to.”
“Can you see where he is?” Dick asked as he strode over, leaning over her to see from her eye level. It was all so natural, like leaves in the wind.
“No exactly, I have his location pinpointed in Bristol but he set up new scrambles at the manor while I was gone. It’s going to take me some time to unscramble them but once I do, and I will, I’ll know his exact location,” Barbara said, beginning to type away, “for now Tim’s safe here.”
“Never doubted you for a second,” Dick said and stood back up to his full height.
“You’re going to kill him aren’t you?” Barbara asked without even glancing back at him.
“How do you know that?”
“You had the same look on your face when you went to kill the Joker,” Barbara hummed, “I’m not saying anyone deserves to die, but Bruce can’t be helped. Can’t be fixed.”
“Glad we’re on the same page,” Dick said, “Where’s Alfred?”
“England,” Barbara said, “said he wouldn’t watch Bruce destroy himself or his family again. Lives in the middle of nowhere now, no TV, no internet. I call him sometimes but he’s content for now. He deserves a break.”
“Don’t tell him I’m back, he’ll race back,” Dick said, “let him have his peace.”
“Dick,” Barbara sighed, “this isn’t going to be easy.”
“On the contrary,” Dick hummed, “it’ll be all too easy.”
“Just…when you do be careful,” Barbara whispered, “I…they can’t lose you again.”
“None of you will lose me again,” Dick assured her and pulled her away from the computers, “you need rest too Barbie.”
“God, I missed you calling me that,” she breathed as he pushed her towards her room.
“I got it from here, Dick,” she said in the doorway. Part of him didn’t want to let, wanted to be the one to hoist her on top of the sink and do her skincare for her like he had done so many times before. Wanted to be the one in bed next to her. But his Barbara betrayed him and her Dick died. So he settled for a goodnight and left her as he turned towards where his brothers were. If he stopped to glance back at her and see her covering her face with shaking shoulder, he didn’t mention it.
Barbara was not lying when she said it would take time to unscramble all of Bruce’s new devices. They sat patiently for days, watching as she typed away on her massive computer and eyes shifted between screens. A few times he had tried to get into the tower only to get the kickback of Barbara’s security. It made her smirk each time and it drove Dick wild. Everything about her was driving him insane. Her scent, her heartbeat, her . God he wanted to pull her away from those monitors so many times and ravish her. Leave kisses and bruises down her body and mark her as his. But he refrained, took deep breaths before seeing her and avoided breathing so close to her. Avoided her scent. But the clocktower was only so big, there were only so many places to hide.
“The hell you doing out here?” Dick asked as he walked out of the kitchen and into the living room/monitoring room.
“Those two little shits won’t shut up,” Jason grumbled with his eyes closed, “Babs set up Netflix in there for them and now they’re watching Love Island. I hate fucking Love Island.”
“Is it the Love part that gets you?” Dick teased and Jason grumbled a few choice curses that made him laugh.
“Can you get Barbie to go to sleep, the typing is driving me insane,” Jason said, “I might just go homicidal again.”
“Shut up Jason,” Barbara snapped, “I’m close to-”
“You’re close to shutting down,” Jason snapped back, “you’ve been awake for two days straight dipshit.”
“Well I don’t see you trying to hack into the cave system, shitstain!” She argued.
“I can’t fucking code or hack or I would’ve!” Jason nearly yelled. It made Dick pinch the bridge of his nose. He had forgotten just how much those two squabbled, a true brother-sister duo. Down to the petty arguments.
“Alright,” Dick said and pointed at Jason, “you sleep. Babs you’re coming with me.”
“Dick I’m-”
“So god help me say if you’re fine,” he cut her off and all she did was send a glare his way. It was more cute than menacing so he shook his head with a chuckle and pulled her away, beginning the journey to her room. Her scent was strongest there so when he stepped through the door it took everything in him not to let his eyes roll back with a groan at the sweet smell.
“Just dump me on the bed,” Barbara said with sleepy eyes as she set her glasses down on the nightstand.
“What happened to being fine?”
“Shut up,” she muttered and rubbed her eyes.
“C’mere,” Dick said and effortlessly lifted her, but instead of laying her in bed he headed towards the bathroom and set her down on the sink counter like he had done countless times before. He grabbed her toner, serums, moisturizer, everything he knew her skincare routine consisted of. Something she usually was very anal about, except when she was at the point of exhaustion where just the feeling of her mattress would knock her out.
“You don’t have to do this,” Barbara said as she watched him soak a cotton pad with her toner.
“I want to,” he assured her, running it over her cheeks, the bridge of her nose, every part of her face and neck. He faltered slightly at her pulse point but continued.
“Thank you,” she said softly. Her serum was next. A few drops in his palms, warm them. He remembered each step carefully and went through them. When he was done with her moisturizer his fingers lingered on her jaw, his eyes drifting down to her lips.
“Dick,” she whispered, swallowing as her eyes flickered to his lips. They parted slightly and Dick nearly dove in.
“I should-” He didn’t get a chance to finish before she pulled him. Their lips crashed together and nothing was soft about the kiss. It was desperate, lip bruise and teeth clashing. They gripped onto each other tightly, Dick knew in some part of his mind that he would leave bruises behind but he needed Barbara close, he needed to devour her.
“Wait,” he panted when pulled away, fighting the urge to press his lips to hers again when she tilted forwards slightly. “Babs, I’m not-”
“I’m not an idiot,” she said and pressed another kiss to his lips, “plus Jason told me the whole story, vampire boy.”
“God you’re evil,” he breathed as she tugged on his hair.
“I’d love you in every universe Dick, every version of you,” Barbara said.
“I’d love you too, Babs, any place,” he whispered against her lips because it was true. This wasn’t his Barbara, but she was Barbara and he was Dick. They fit together easily. Naturally. It didn't matter in what timeline, what universe. They were two halves of a whole always drawn to each other. So he let himself melt into the moment, into Barbara. And for a moment he let himself forget everything else.
He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept for so long. But when he rolled over he saw the sky was dark, no sunlight or anything. Barbara was still sound asleep next to him. Curled up in one of his old Bludhaven PD shirts and a pair of his boxers. Her breathing was soft and her hair stuck up in wild ways. It made him chuckle softly as he smoothed some of it down. Good to know that ehr wild hair couldn’t be tamed in any universe. Like this Barbara seemed so at peace, like an angel from a renaissance portrait.
Until she nearly headbutted him when an alarm went off. Her tired eyes looked around as he hand scrambled for her glasses. Dick grabbed her wrists with one hand and slipped her glasses on with the other.
“Hey, easy,” he said softly.
“Get me to the computers!” She rushed in excitement and it eased nervousness he didn’t know he had. He did as she instructed and wheeled her over. The minute she was in arms reach she began typing furiously.
“What the hell was that?” Jason tumbled out of the guest room with his gun drawn and pajama pants pushed up past his knees.
“I cracked them!” Barbara said in excitement, “Now to track the bastard down.”
“Christ,” Jason grumbled and clicked the safety back on, “can you warn me next time?”
“Sorry Jay,” Barbara said. His eyes narrowed as he looked between the two of them.
“Where did you sleep, Dick?” Jason asked.
“Out here,” he answered. Jason observed them a little longer, glanced at Dick’s back and gagged.
“Oh, fuck, gross,” Jason said, “you two are disgusting, we’re being hunted!”
“Oh please how many times did I catch you and Roy in the middle of missions,” Dick said and Jason turned beat red.
“Put a shirt on for Christ's sake, I want to pour acid in my eyes. Liquify my brain. You know what, I’ll just die again,” Jason muttered.
“Will you go back to sleep?” Dick rolled his eyes.
“Fine, but I better not hear anything traumatizing while you two are out here alone,” Jason grumbled as he slipped back into the guest room.
“Is he this dramatic in your world?” Barbara asked.
“Yeah,” Dick said, “I think he’s dramatic no matter where he is.”
“Got him,” Barbara said, “Miagani Island, that’s not too far from here.”
“How long has he been there?”
“Few hours before that it was Robinsville,” Barbara mumbled, “Crime Alley, he’s using all his safe houses. Hasn’t gone back to the cave.”
“He wants to stay close. In case we slip up,” Dick growled, eyes blazing red.
“Dick….” Barbara trailed off, “is going after now worth it? By yourself?”
“I don’t want them to see what I’m going to do to him,” Dick said, pressed a kiss to the top of her head and stood to his full height. “I’ll be back, Babs.”
Finding Bruce wasn’t hard. When Dick locked on his scent he was on the move. The safehouse on the outside was unassuming. That was its purpose. Dick knew on the inside it was a fortress, but every fortress has a weak spot. Except maybe Barbara’s Clocktower. So he snaked around the building, knowing he’d trip a few sensors. Dick wanted Bruce to know he was coming for him. Maybe give him a false sense of security, play into exactly what he wants before ripping his heart out like he did to his Bruce. Except this one deserved it infinitely more. Just as he was about to pounce he heard a second heartbeat. One that was all too familiar. The smokey scent that belonged to Jason followed thereafter.
“Jason,” Dick hissed, seeing Hood land next to him.
“Think you were going to have all the fun on your own?” Hood grumbled, “Not a chance.”
“You-” Two other heart beats joined them and Dick whirled to see Robin and Red Robin. Red stood on shaky legs but a determined expression. His uniform didn’t fit the way it should, loose in some places and his cape was eating him alive. But that didn’t diminish his presence, no matter how hard Bruce tried he could never fully break Tim.
“No, this is not a family affair,” Dick hissed, “all of you go-”
“No you’re not doing this alone,” Hood argued.
“He hurt all of us,” Damian said, “in some way or another.”
“I don’t want you to see what I become in there,” Dick said, “please.”
“What and miss you going Vampire King on Bruce? Not a fucking chance,” Hood said.
“We will never be scared of you, Dick, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Red’s voice was soft, “you’re our big brother.”
“Dammit,” Dick whispered, “stick with me, you stay out of his way.”
“I will, as soon as I get some hits in,” Robin said proudly, “lead the way Grayson. This needs to end tonight.”
They fell into sync easily. Quick with their movements, all of them buzzing in the back of Dick’s mind and he hoped they felt him with them. There was no hint of fear in any connection, only determination. So Dick pushed forward, kicking in the door to the safe house with his full strength. Something he had prepared for, fed off a few drug dealers for. The door slammed onto the ground and slid with little fanfare. Batman stood on the other side, face hard and determined. A wooden stake in his hands but Dick did not falter. He rushed forward but Batman was fast with his attack, slicing at Dick’s cheek and swiping at his side. A gunshot rang out as Batman cried out and stumbled to the side. Hood had gotten a clean shot to his knee, Dick knew he was a good shot but he had managed to get the bullet to his the sliver of space between kevlar plates. Dick was proud, impressed at Jason’s prowess as he stalked into the safehouse, firing another shot into Batman’s arm. Batman reached back and tossed out a familiar smoke bomb, only for Damian’s sword to go right through it before it could explode. The smoke oozed out instead of blinding them fully.
“Not this time, Father,” Damian spat the last word out as if it was acid on his tongue.
“It’s over, Bruce,” Tim said as he was the last to walk through the door, Bruce had a visceral reaction to his supposed son. Scowling and going to lunge for him when Jason shot a warning at his feet.
“Ah, ah, ah,” Jason mocked, “not so fast old man.”
“Dick, you’re back. Come home,” Batman switched tactics, trying to plead with him, “bring Jason and Damian home.”
“And what? Leave you to kill Tim? Not a chance,” Jason snapped.
“He deserves it for what he did to you,” Batman growled and lunged. This time Dick was ready. He threw himself at Batman before he could get any closer to Tim.
To Tim’s credit, he stood strong despite the terror that Dick felt in their bond. That only fueled him more as he was thrown off Batman but landed on his feet. The two circled each other like wild cats waiting to pounce. He didn’t expect Tim to whack Batman with his bo staff, then upper cut him with it. Blood sprayed as Batman stumbled but Tim didn’t falter, didn’t hesitate. He swung again, this time right at his ribs which echoed with a painful crack and a grunt from Batman. Dick couldn’t help the wild smirk on his face at the sound of Tim breaking Batman’s ribs, the more blood spilled the more the Vampire King oozed out.
Then Batman grabbed the end of the bo staff, shoving it towards Tim and dug it into his stomach. Tim gasped for air, stumbling back as Batman continued to push. Dick was on his feet before Batman could do anymore damage, lunging. But he didn’t take into account the stake that was still tight in his grip. Didn’t consider it piercing his heart when all he thought about was getting to Tim.
But Jason did. And as soon as the smokey, sweet smell of Jason’s flood Dick’s mouth he knew exactly what happened. Dick roared, using Batman’s shock to his advantage and did just like he had before. His fist broke through the kevlar on Batman’s back, through flesh and bone and muscle until he was gripping Batman’s heart in his hand.
“This ends here, Bruce,” Dick growled, “you lose .” With another surge of strength his arm broke through the other side. A sick satisfaction filled Dick as the sound of Batman’s choked gasp at the sight of his own beating heart. With just as much fierceness as it went in, Dick ripped his hand out of Bruce’s chest and let the man fall. This was no longer Batman, feared protector of Gotham. This was Bruce Wayne reduced to nothing.
When Bruce fell, he dragged the stake out of Jason’s abdomen with him. Jason gasped, coughed and struggled to suck in any form of air. But his lungs were filling with blood. Dick could hear it as his brother fell onto his knees. Could hear him starting to drown on his own blood. He tossed the heart aside and cupped Jason’s cheeks as he fell to his own knees.
“Hey,” Dick said, trying to get Jason to focus on him, “eyes on me, you’re gonna be fine.”
“Nah,” Jason choked out, “dying again, dickface. I would know, done it before.”
“You’re not dying,” Dick said firmly and out of the corner of his eye he could see Tim frozen a few feet away as Damian surged forward to Jason’s other side. He gripped his bicep to keep him from falling backward.
“Heal him, Grayson, like you did Drake,” Damian said urgently.
“I can’t there’s too much damage,” Dick said and tried to not look at Damian’s falling expression.
“Hey,” Jason wheezed, “you said I made a good vamp didn’t you?”
“Jason, no,” Dick pleaded, “no, you don’t want this.”
“I’m dying, Dick,” Jason winced, “there’s no stopping it. I’m strong enough to survive the change, I’m not ready to die again.”
“Jason,” Dick whispered, his features pulling into an expression that could be described as agony.
“What? Worried I’ll lose all compassion?” Jason coughed again, this time spitting up blood. “Not like I had much of it before anyways.”
“There has to be another way,” Dick whispered, his thoughts scrambling. But he knew there wasn’t. He could hear it in Jason’s stuttering heart and lungs filling with blood. Could feel it in the flickering of the bond deep in his mind. Jason was dying again and there was no curbing it this time.
“There isn’t,” Jason breathed out, “I trust you, Dick. You’re my big brother.”
“I am,” Dick said with new resolve, “I’ll make everything alright, okay Jaybird?”
“Yeah,” Jason whimpered.
“Damian, Tim,” Dick said as he turned to look at Tim, “you need to leave.”
“Absolutely not,” Damian snapped, gripping Jason’s bicep harder.
“Listen when he turns he won’t be able to control himself,” Dick said, “get Tim, get out. Lock yourselves in the nearest safe house. I’ll get you when it’s safe.”
“But-”
“Damian, trust me okay?” Dick said, cupping his cheek with his non bloodied hand, “everything is gonna be fine.”
“You better not die, Todd, or I will rip your entrails out and jump rope with them,” Damian hissed at Jason before letting go.
“Thanks Dami,” Jason coughed out.
“No!” Tim struggled against Damian, fought against his younger brother as he dragged him out. All while screaming, begging Jason not to die. Begging Dick to save him. Had he been stronger he probably would’ve escaped Damian’s grasp, and for the first time Dick was thankful for that. Damian was able to wrestle Tim out of the warehouse and into the batmobile, hijacking it by the sounds of the motor. He listened for the peeling off of the wheels before turning to Jason.
“Ready, Jaybird?” Dick soothed.
“Ready to not die, fuck yeah,” Jason mumbled lazily, the blood loss getting to him.
There was no more time to hesitate, to think about this anymore. Jason didn’t have that kind of time. Dick bit into his wrist, tearing the soft flesh before pressing it to Jason’s lips who to his credit didn’t need any instruction. He gulped down as Dick’s hand became steady on the back of his neck, keeping him up and keeping him drinking. Once he pulled his wrist away he could a feral glint in Jason’s eyes and that was it. Dick went in and bit down on the soft flesh of his brother’s neck. Blood splashed on his tongue and it was Jason. Jason in his mouth, in his lungs, and in his heart. He bit with intention to turn him. To not let him die, to make him a vampire. The connection that was flickering grew stronger, brightening until it was all consuming in his mind. All of Jason’s thoughts surged forward. His fear, his doubt, his trust in Dick. And when that melted away to bloodlust and fervor he felt that too. This time when Dick pulled away red, animalistic eyes and fangs were staring back at him.
“Jason,” Dick spoke slowly and that made his head tilt in interest, “good, you recognize your name. I know its hard right now, the blood lust is strong.”
“Hey dickface,” Jason’s voice was a deep growl, more animal than human, “I’m starving .”
“I know,” Dick said as Jason’s head tilted in the direction Damian and Tim had gone. Dick snapped his head back to him, “hey, remember the rules.”
“Rules,” Jason snarled, fangs bared, “I fucking hate rules.”
“Hey,” Dick growled back, forcing the memory of Tim screaming, begging him to live into Jason’s mind's forefront. It made Jason flinch back, “Good, remember Tim. Remember Damian. They need us, they need you.”
“Where are they?” Jason growled and licked his lips, “Their blood is so sweet isn’t it, you’ve tried it haven’t you Dick?”
“No,” Dick snarled, “and neither will you.”
“Dick,” Jason whined, actually whined, at the notion of not feeding off their little brothers, “I can hear them, running away. Running from us.”
“Hey,” Dick said, “you’re stronger than this, you’re Jason fucking Todd back from the dead twice now. You kept Tim safe against Batman, held your own against me, you need to fight this.”
Jason inhaled deeply and groaned, his eyes rolling back at the scent of blood. Bruce’s was ripe in the safehouse but there were still hints of Damian’s splashed around. He knows what Jason’s feeling, the euphoria. The rush of adrenaline and invincibility that comes with being turned. They didn’t have time for this, Dick could feel the anxiety and distress coming from Damian and Tim.
“Please, Dick, please let me feed,” Jason begged, gripping onto the front of Dick’s uniform.
“Jason,” Dick barked, putting all authority behind his voice. That made Jason still, look at him with wide eyes, “I am your maker, understood?”
“Yes,” Jason breathed.
“Then come back to me, set the bloodlust aside and come back,” Dick ordered. It was a long shot, a cheap shot to use this bond like this. But the longer he waited the more the risk of Jason losing himself to it. Jason grunt, his head bowed as the internal struggle began. Dick could feel it ever conflict, every urge to feed being smothered by something that was just so intrinsically Jason. It took a few more moments before he gasped, eyes blinking away red until they faded to a brighter green than before.
“Fuck you,” Jason panted, “I’m going to get you back for that.”
“The rules, what are the rules,” Dick said.
“No feeding off any of us, any heroes, or innocent civilians. Goons, rogues, dirty cops, abusers, rapists, fair game. Don’t turn any of them,” Jason said then scoffed, “the last thing Gotham needs is a vampire problem.”
“Glad you remembered that part,” Dick said, “how do you feel?”
“Alive, for once,” Jason said, “starving still. Did Damian and Tim make it to the safehouse?”
“Think so,” Dick hummed, “you need to feed and we need to go. I can feel Tim and Damian’s anxiety.”
“Is that…is that what that shit is? Like an itch in the back of my head that can't be scratched,” Jason said and Dick hummed in response, “Is it always like this?”
“It changes depending on who and what they’re feeling, you’ll learn to tell them apart eventually,” Dick said and stood, hauling Jason up with him.
“Time to go home,” Dick said.
Jason was taking to vampirism faster than Dick had anticipated. He thought his exposure to the pit would have made controlling the bloodlust more difficult, but it helped him reign it instead. So there was little worry whenever Damian and Tim launched themselves at him. Or if one of them ended up bleeding. Especially Damian after a patrol. The same couldn’t be said for the lowlifes of Gotham city. Dick watched with astonished awe as Jason tore through them with a fervor that matched his, and he was the supposed Vampire King. Jason usually ended up with more blood on him than in him but Dick couldn’t judge, not when he always ended up staining his collar and had to scrub it straight after patrols.
“You’re disgusting,” Robin scowled as Hood pulled away from a goons neck with blood staining his chin, neck and chest. They all knew Hood wasn’t listening, not when his eyes were rolling into the back of his head as he relished in the ecstasy of the kill and the taste of blood. Jason was a true hunter before he was ever a vampire so he took to it like a duck to water.
“Don’t talk to me right now, Robin,” Hood said, his voice bordering on a growl.
“Nightwing,” Robin said in annoyance, “how much longer do we need to indulge him? We must get moving if we want to get home at a decent fucking hour.”
“He’s not wrong Hood,” Nightwing said, “I’ve taken my fill, now you’re just being greedy.”
“Shut up,” Hood snapped, red eyes blazing at him, “the little runt can head on without us.”
“One of these days I’ll be taller than you,” Robin reminded him, “I’m sure Drake would love hear why we weren’t home in time to see him.”
“You wouldn’t,” Hood snarled, curling his lips back.
“Try me,” Robin hissed. Dick pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He was a king, a fucking king, yet how did he end up here?
“Enough,” Dick said, “Robin head on home, I can feel how tired you are. Hood, wrap it up. This is a lot even for me.”
Both of them huffed but did as told. Getting home was quick, Dick always made sure to make quick work of it. They had repaired the penthouse windows after a few days at Barbara sharing a room, well he shared with Barbara but the other three were starting to get on each other's nerves. They had scrubbed the blood away, erased any memory of that night. This place was theirs, their home, and they weren’t letting a dead man take that away from them. He wouldn’t take anything from them ever again. When he slipped through the landing pad door, a very welcomed addition for their resident vampires to take off form and land on, the first thing he was greeted with was a body slamming into his.
“Hey Tim,” Dick said warmly, running his fingers through his wet hair.
“You took long,” Tim mumbled, tucking his head under Dicks chin to let the vampire run his scent over him.
“I know baby bird, I’m sorry,” Dick soothed, guiding him to the couch where he laid down and pulled Tim on top of him. “You know how Jason is with feeding.”
“Couldn’t sleep,” he murmured tiredly, “every time I closed my eyes…he was there and Jason…”
“Shhh,” Dick rumbled, “enough of that. He’s alive, well mostly, and Bruce is dead. We made sure of it.”
“I-I’m sorry,” Tim whimpered, “I keep waking you up and freaking out and-”
“Baby bird,” Dick cooed, cupping his chin and making Tim meet his eyes, “there’s nothing I’d rather do than be there for you, yeah? You can keep me awake for a week straight and I wouldn’t care.”
“But I’m supposed to be getting better,” Tim stressed, tears welling in his eyes, “he’s dead and it’s supposed to get better. I’m supposed to get better.”
“Oh Tim,” Dick said softly, brushing a stray tear away and running his fingers over the scars on Tim’s cheeks, “healing isn’t linear. You’re doing so good, you fought. You faced him, even if you never put the Red Robin suit on ever again you’d still be the bravest person I know, Tim.”
“How could I be? I-I’m a mess,” Tim cried, hiding his head in Dick’s chest.
“Because when it mattered you stepped up,” Dick said, “even though you didn’t need to, you had every right to stay in the Clocktower and hide.”
“What’s wrong with the baby bird?” Jason asked as he walked out from the hall where their rooms were, still dripping from a shower. He frowned and rest one large hand on Tim’s trembling back, “Hey, easy Tim, breathe.”
“I’m sorry,” he whimpered, his grip tightening on Dick’s uniform.
“No reason to be sorry,” Jason said, “now shove over dickface.”
“Jason-no-it’s not big enough!” Dick argued but was still met with all of Jason’s bulk resting on his side and half covering Tim, not that he seemed to mind. Instead he relaxed with the added weight from Jason.
“The three of you are going to break that couch,” Damian huffed as her perched on the edge.
“Want to join?” Dick asked.
“I’d rather eat a jean jacket, thank you,” Damian snarked, but offered his hand to Tim anyways who eagerly took it and laced their fingers.
“What would Barbara say if she saw you now?” Jason teased, flicking Dick’s nose.
“Hey, I’m your make dammit,” Dick said with no bite.
“Yeah, yeah big tough Vampire King,” Jason continued with the teasing.
“Dick?” Tim’s voice was small.
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you’re here and not king in your world,” he said. They all stilled for a moment, it was still somewhat of a touchy subject for Dick and depending on his mood the mention of his other life either sent him spiraling or made him lash out. This time he just side softly and pressed their foreheads together.
“Me too, baby bird, me too.”