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"What the, fuh, fluff is that?" Jason asked, only just catching that Alfred was here in the same room with the little demon brat. Thankfully, Alfred said nothing about his slip.
"Tt. Clearly this is a cat, Todd." Damian said haughtily.
"Weh," said the glowing green eyed black and white thing that definitely wasn't a cat.
Alfred gave the worm thing with paws a very dubious side eye. Well, at least Jason wasn't seeing things. Probably. Alfred didn't really enjoy having animals in the house.
"Like Hell that's a cat! It doesn't have legs!"
"Really, Todd. Surely you have seen an animal without all of its limbs before tonight."
The thing stuck out its tongue and put a little paw on its face and pulled down its eyelid, making what was obviously a taunt.
"Why you little shit!"
"Master Jason." Alfred said sharply.
"The freaky little thing taunted me!" Jason explained, gesturing at it.
The thing licked its paw and started cleaning itself before either Alfred or Damian caught its expression.
Alfred looked back at Jason with mild concern. Damian sneered and petted the creepy thing. The thing made what could only be described as a smug expression.
"You look like a villain, Brat." Jason snapped.
The thing arched its back and hissed. Damian looked smug. They were certainly a pair. Alfred returned to his hovering disguised as cleaning.
"What? You don't like me calling the demon brat a villain? Then maybe he should stop acting like a villain!"
The thing was fast, it launched itself at Jason with a hair-raising screech. Jason almost didn't catch it. But he did. He didn't squeeze it very hard, it was small and so far just weird and annoying. But it was definitely concerning that no one else could see its true form. Unless Damian was lying. But Alfred wouldn't lie about that. Plenty of other things, sure; but not about seeing things that aren't there.
"Unhand him, cretin!" Damian shrieked loudly and threatened Jason with a knife from the tea service. The balance was terrible for throwing but he didn't doubt the brat's aim.
"I'll unhand it when you admit this isn't a cat, brat!" Jason raised his arm up beyond Damian's reach. The thing hissed and flailed and shrieked and clawed at him and was generally deeply unhappy about this situation.
"Master Damian, do stop threatening your family with bodily harm. Master Jason, return the beast to your brother."
"You see it though, right? This is not any kind of cat." Jason insisted, lowering his arm but keeping it away from Damian still.
It fell silent and still for a moment, then started crying pathetically. Jason firmly told himself he was being perfectly reasonable here. This was something supernatural and either Damian was lying about seeing it as a cat or he wasn't. Either way Jason couldn't let an unknown supernatural critter around his family without vetting it first.
"Whether or not that beast is a cat is not relevant for putting it down." Alfred said sternly.
"It isn't normal! Like, at all!"
And then it bit him. On his arm just behind his gloves.
Damian took advantage of Jason's surprise mercilessly, even going so far as to kick him in the kidney as he wrestled away the creature. It took Jason's glove with it. It looked positively demented with Jason's blood on its face.
Damian cuddled the thing and cooed at it reassuringly while he wiped off Jason's blood. The bite tingled and bled. Then everything went fuzzy.
Jason blinked away the tingling then opened his eyes. He was in something heavy and dark and leather. His jacket? And pants. He'd driven his bike and was wearing his road leathers. Or had been. He gave himself a shake and made his way out of his leathers. When he did he hissed and closed his eyes. That fucking hurt. But he could still see? He opened one eye and closed it immediately with a hiss. No. No, his eyes were definitely photosensitive. He must be using some other sense to 'see'.
"Oh my word." Alfred said, shocked.
His ears swiveled to better listen to Alfred. Jason's ears were definitely not supposed to move like that. He felt them flatten against the back of his head and down his back. Were they really as long as all that? Jason tried to see them but only managed to look like an idiot as he pranced around on his front paws then tripped over his tail. Because he had a tail now. His tail and paws were bright snow white with coal black markings. His paw pads glowed a dull red. He patted his face but of course could not determine its color by touch. He pawed at his ears trying to see their color. When he finally grabbed one and pulled it around to look at it was red. But not glowing like his paw pads.
"Master Jason. Do you feel well?" Alfred asked and knelt down next to him.
Jason tried to reassure Alfred, because he did feel well. But all that came out was, "Wey!"
Alfred wasn't reassured at all.
This time, Jason focused very hard on his enunciation. "Wey."
He frowned and tried again with the same result. What even was that sound, anyway? It wasn't exactly like the freaky noises the freaky Intruder made but it was close. He pawed at his mouth in frustration. Why wasn't it working right?
"Master Jason. Do you recognize me?" Alfred asked. That was easy! Jason didn't even need to speak to answer either.
He stopped messing around and sat down sharply despite not having back legs or anything like hips. He was very good at improvising. He didn't like it though. Plans were much better.
"Wey!" Jason declared while nodding his head up and down. He had a fluffy ruff of fur around his neck and it was distracting. Jason wanted to hide his face in his fluff and take a nap. He did not because he was very sure he had come here for a different reason than naps.
"Wonderful." Alfie was relieved. Jason decided that it was over his answer and sat up straighter. Alfie wasn't done talking. Jason paid attention. "And yourself? Do you know that you are Master Jason?"
"Wey!" Another easy question. Jason nodded again too, just to make sure.
"Oh thank goodness. Master Jason, here, we need to go downstairs." Alfie reached out and Jason scrambled up his arm to perch on his shoulder. Alfie paused a moment before standing up, like he hadn't expected that. Which was silly, Alfie was even more ready for anything than Jason!
Alfie turned to leave and Jason saw The Intruder! Dami was holding him. He had him trapped but The Intruder still had Jason's glove. Jason shouted very loudly and stomped his paw on Alfie's shoulder. The Intruder stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry. Jason shrieked.
"Wey!"
"Master Damian, perhaps it would be best if you led us downstairs." Alfie said. Jason chirped and sat tall. Of course. Dami was very clever and agile. He had captured The Intruder and was taking him to B and Jason had alerted everyone so he was going, too.
B was downstairs but not at The Batcomputer. B was there a lot. But B was human like him so he had to train a lot. He was training now. His other brother, Timbit, was here too. His other other brother, Dickie, wasn't here. He knew his sister, Cass-Cass, was very good at being sneaky so she could be anywhere.
"Master Bruce, do join us in the med bay." Alfie said. The med bay? Was someone hurt? Jason looked around in alarm but saw nothing to worry about. Dami still had The Intruder contained. Were they taking The Intruder to the med bay? Jason decided to ask.
"Wey?" Who needed the med bay?
B and Timbit looked at them. Oh, he needed to let them know Dami caught The Intruder! He jumped over to Dami's shoulder, went 'chirrup' and stood proud. Dami was a great brother. Very skilled and clever.
"Behave!" Alfie told The Intruder.
The Intruder looked balefully up at Jason. Jason put his tail along the back of his brother's neck and was smug and proud.
"Weh!" The Intruder thought Jason was out of line!
"Wey!" The Intruder was out of line!
The Intruder growled.
"Wey!" Dami was Jason's brother, not The Intruder's!
"Weh!" Dami was The Intruder's friend, not Jason's!
"Wey?" A friend?
Jason considered this. Dami didn't have very many friends. Jason hadn't had very many friends when he was Dami's age and it had made Jason sad. Dami should not be sad. The Intruder repeated himself with a little bit more manners.
"Weh." Dami was The Intruder's friend. Jason wasn't Dami's friend.
"Wey." Dami was Jason's brother and The Intruder was NOT.
They stared at each other. Jason had nothing to concede, he was not looking away first. The Intruder chewed on Jason's glove.
"Wey!" That was his glove! Not The Intruder's!
"Weh!" The Intruder took the glove fair and square!
Jason hissed and growled.
"Weh." The Intruder had earned this. Jason was being petty.
Jason settled back down on his brother's shoulder and huffed. The Intruder chewed on his glove some more.
"If you are finished acting like a fool then we have arrived. Get on the exam table, Todd." Dami said.
They were here for him? Hell no! Jason shoved himself against Dami's neck and pulled his head into his fluff, then wrapped his tail around his paws for good measure.
"Jason?" B asked with alarm.
Jason shoved himself against Dami harder.
"Tt. Hiding will not stop the need for an examination, Todd."
Shows what Dami knew, hiding solved lots of problems.
Timbit followed B, looked things over and left for the showers right away. Good. His brother was stinky. B was stinky too, but B was not leaving. He was getting closer.
"Jason?" B sounded very worried. Jason wasn't fooled. B said dumb things that Jason couldn't trust. B reached his gross stinky hand out to Jason.
Jason growled a warning.
"Master Bruce, that is-"
"Father don't-"
B touched Jason with his sweaty gross hand and Jason bit him. B did not do anything satisfying like shout in surprise or try to shake him off or run away.
Instead he used his other hand and picked him up and held him in his stinky stinky hands. Then B set him down on the exam bed. The Intruder trilled smugly and Dami turned away from Jason to watch The Intruder.
"Weh." Jason was stinky now and The Intruder was clean.
Jason's voice was muffled by B's stinky finger but he shouted anyway.
"Wey!" Jason was not stinky!
Jason growled and scratched and finally B let go. Alfie was at the exam table too. Jason ran over to Alfie, telling him all about how B got him stinky. Alfie stared at B. Jason hoped B was in trouble. Jason wanted to be clean but he really didn't want to lick B's stinky sweat off of his fur. He pawed at his ruff and was disgusted to feel there were places that the long silky fur was stuck together. Gross.
Dami was staring at B now, too. The Intruder was on his own exam bed. He looked very displeased. Served him right for being a rude intruder all intruding and everything.
There was a loud poof sort of sound and Jason looked around the room in alarm. Where was B? Jason peered down over the side of the exam table. B looked up at him from his stinky pile of stinky clothes. He was all black, or, no, B leapt up onto the exam table with Jason and Jason saw that the black was something like his cloak. Under it his fur was dark grey with a yellow stripe at his waist and yellow and black bat on his chest.
"..." jason was sick. he needed to get a check up.
"Wey!" Hell no! He was fine! B needed a check up!
B looked around the room then back at Jason.
"..." b would be fine. jason needed-
Jason shrieked and ran.
"Wey!" No!
"Master Jason!"
Timbit was showering. Jason needed a shower now, too. Also Timbit thought B was dumb. Timbit would help hide Jason away from B.
Alfie and B chased him. B was fast but Jason was faster. He made it into the locker room, then the showers. He wasn't some kind of dumb animal so he didn't just barge in on his brother. Unfortunately, Jason had never tried stopping on tile with paws. He tried to stand firm to stop his momentum. Instead he slid under the stall door, into the spray and soapy water and finally stopped against the wall with a wet splat. But not before Timbit had moved out of his way. Jason had surprised him and he still reacted fast. That was good.
"What the flip?" Tim said. He was annoyed, not mad.
"Mrrp." Jason said, everything was all static and snowy. He stumbled and shook his head then fell again, this time from some soapy water on the wet floor. Not the wall.
"Jason?"
Jason rolled over, belly up. He could already see vague shapes in the static snow. He just needed a minute. Tim threw a washcloth. Jason didn't see it in time to dodge.
"Mrrp!"
"What on earth are you doing in my shower, you weirdo?"
Jason scrambled out of the wet, heavy washcloth. Did Timbit have to kick him while he was down? Yes, obviously. Timbit was sneaky, and strong too, but Jason was better. It was important to take every advantage you could get. Jason didn't have to like it though.
"You look like a drowned rat." Timbit rudely informed him.
Jason glared up at his brother. Was that really necessary? Jason huffed and flopped on the soapy washcloth and rolled around. That was easier than trying to find the soap.
Timbit knelt over him. Jason could make out most of the rest of the room again. Alfie and Bruce were still looking for him.
Jason stood, then was scooped up by his brother.
Jason chirped in surprise but allowed this.
"Are you hiding or did you actually want a shower?" Timbit whispered.
Jason flopped over and scrubbed at his belly, lathering up the soap in his fur.
"Fine, you weird drowned worm."
Jason stuck out his tongue.
Timbit washed him roughly then held him under the spray to rinse.
"Wey!" Did Timbit have to shove Jason right under the dang shower head?
"Master Jason!" Alfie called out.
"..." jason needed to return to the med bay immediately
Jason slapped his paws over his mouth and looked at his brother. As quietly as he could he asked for sanctuary.
"Wey! " Don't let them find me!
Timbit rolled his eyes then dropped him on a towel. Then picked him up with the towel and dried him off. Jason almost chastised Timbit again at the rough treatment but remembered that B and Alfie were looking for him. He gave him a very stern look instead. Timbit let go of Jason and Jason fell onto the stall bench then Timbit dried himself off. He wasn't any softer with himself. His brother was a mess.
"Master Jason!" Alfie called again.
Jason's ears canted back and he shifted his weight from paw to paw.
"..." jason needed. to return. to the med bay. immediately.
Timbit was dry and wearing sweats now. Timbit dropped the towel on Jason then scooped him up, towel and all.
"Mrrp!"
Jason remembered to stay quiet only after he started protesting. Alfie and B were very clever and heard him. But Jason was very good at being sneaky and so was Timbit so they didn't find him.
Timbit carried him away from B and Alfie. Out in the cave proper Jason celebrated.
"Trrrrll!" Success!
Only, it turned out that it wasn't success. Timbit got him wrapped up like a burrito then held him down on an exam bed.
"Wey!" Betrayal!
"You seriously didn't expect anything like this?" Timbit asked, quirking his eyebrow.
"Wey!" Yes!
The Intruder had the gall to laugh at him.
Jason yowled.
"Oh hush, you little worm. Don't you want to be human again? Just get this over with so you can go back to being an ass smart enough to shower himself." Timbit was exasperated and annoyed.
"Wey." No.
Timbit kept one hand on the towel, keeping Jason trapped. He made notes on a tablet with the other.
"Wey!" Jason cried loudly and pathetically. Someone had to hear him!
B and Alfie joined Timbit. B was resting in Alfie's front jacket pocket.
Jason squirmed and wriggled. Just because he'd never trained in this body didn't mean he suddenly forgot all the sneaky tricks to escape. Timbit knew all the sneaky tricks too, though, and he was bigger.
"He showed up in the middle of my shower. He understood simple questions but didn't reply verbally nor use any sign. Not even field sign."
Jason almost flipped Timbit off but Alfie was still here and Alfie didn't like rude gestures.
Alfie set B aside on his own exam bed and the jerk sat there and clearly sulked.
"Master Jason, I am going to examine you now. Please remain calm and this shall be over with quickly."
Alfie sat Jason on a scale. Then measured his height at the shoulders and his length from nose to tail. Then out came the horrible, horrible light. Shined right in his eyes. Jason froze. It left and Jason shook his head and put his paws over his face.
"Was it truly as bad as all that?" Alfie tutted.
"Wey!" Yes! It was horrible!
Jason bit the stick Alfie put in his mouth. Alfie tilted it and Jason went with it. No one yelled at him so when Alfie took it out and put it back he did it again.
"Behave yourself now, Master Jason." Alfie told him.
Jason growled. Alfie put the stick in again. Jason lashed his tail. This time Alfie pushed down on his tongue. Jason tried to shake his head but Alfie held the back of his head firmly.
Jason wanted to bite the stick, but Alfie didn't like it. Then Alfie swabbed his mouth, and then his ears, and then his nose.
"Wey!" Horrible!
Jason pawed at his nose. Alfie patted his head.
"Mrrrp?"
"There's a good chap," Alfie said.
Jason chirped and sat up straight. Alfie pressed his stethoscope against his chest. Jason knew what to do! He inhaled deeply and exhaled hard. Alfie moved the stethoscope and Jason did it again. And again. Jason made another chirp then looked up at Alfie, guilty. He was supposed to stay quiet. They did this game six more times and Jason didn't forget once.
Alfie lowered the stethoscope. He was frowning. Maybe. Jason peeked carefully with his eyes and saw Alfie really was frowning.
"Mrrp?"
"Master Jason. Do you feel well?" Alfie asked. Silly Alfie. Alfie just checked him over.
"Wey!" Jason was strong!
He even swiped his paws at pretend enemies a few times before jumping at Alfie. Alfie caught him, obviously. Alfie didn't laugh, he didn't grin, he didn't even go back to pretending he was a real butler. Alfie was worried.
Jason started purring. Purring helped people feel better.
Alfie pressed his first two fingers against Jason's neck. Jason nuzzled against Alfie's arm. Eventually, Alfie held him against his chest. Jason snuggled up and purred louder.
Alfie ran his fingers gently through Jason's damp fur.
"Trrrlllrrrlll!" This was great!
"What's wrong?" Timbit asked.
"Perhaps you should listen, yourself, Master Tim." Alfie said, still petting Jason.
Jason held Alfie's gloved hand in his paws and licked it.
"Mrrp?" Why was Alfie not feeling better yet?
Timbit took a stethoscope and pressed it all over Jason's chest. Alfie held him so Jason tolerated this. Then Alfie set Jason back down. Jason reached up but Alfie didn't pick him up again. Timbit pressed the stupid stethoscope all over his back. Jason hissed but tolerated it. Alfie was right here and already sad. Jason wanted to help, not make him sadder.
"He looks healthy." Timbit finally said. But for some weird reason he sounded worried.
"..." jason was not healthy. jason was supposed to be human.
"Weh!" And Jason was stinky!
Jason stomped his paw.
"Wey!" Jason was not stinky! Jason just had a shower! Dami's Friend was stinky! And B was extra stinky!
"We should examine B next." Timbit announced.
"Master Bruce!" Alfie said sharply. B loomed next to him.
Jason hissed and jumped away from B. He arched his back and fluffed out his mane.
Alfie picked up B and scolded him. Jason huffed and licked his mane into order. That's what B got, the big boob.
B endured the exam stoically. Jason kept up his cleaning. He still needed to keep presentable.
"Neither of them are in possession of beating hearts. Yet they appear healthy otherwise." Alfie sounded anxious. Jason hopped closer to Alfie and head butted him where he could reach (his side). He even ignored B's closeness.
Dami came over to listen to B's chest. B purred.
"It is as you say, Alfred." Dami proclaimed.
"Mrrp?" He really didn't have a heartbeat?
"Weh!" Of course they didn't have heartbeats! They were ghosts!
"Wey?" Ghosts? Really? Jason hadn't been dead for a while though.
"..." ridiculous. b knew ghosts and they were not this.
"Weh!" Dami's friend didn't really share anything more than his frustration and annoyance.
Jason thought things over while B seemed to think he'd won the argument. B did that a lot. B would probably be happier if he stopped believing he was always right.
Dami gave B over to Alfie then went to His Friend.
"Wey?" They were really ghosts?
"Weh!" Of course they were ghosts! What else could they be?
"..." not ghosts. ghosts could float and talk. With real human words.
Jason rolled over, trying to think. Alfie petted his belly and Jason stretched; thinking immediately interrupted.
"Trrrlll." This was literally the best.
"They do not have a heartbeat nor breath, however they make a steady tone that is unique to themselves." Dami announced.
Dami's Friend hissed at Timbit when Timbit tried to listen again. Timbit backed away.
"..." the intruder will submit to red robin or b would make him
They both yowled denial at the same time. Jason leapt, and unknowingly flew, over to The Former Intruder Turned Friend. He landed facing B.
"Wey!" B was dumb and mean and stinky and mean!
B opened his eyes (glowing white) and stared at Jason in surprise and confusion. Jason hadn't realized his own eyes were open until then. He was much too upset to pay attention to how bright the light was. It was very bright though.
His Friend made a cautious little chirp. His Friend was concerned.
"Can anyone hear B? Jason is acting like B is saying something." Timbit asked. Alfred shook his head. Dami tilted his head and glared at B.
"Wey!" Dami's Friend was also Jason's Friend! Jason would keep B off His Friend's back!
"Mrrp?" They were friends?
"..." absolutely not. that was not a friend. jason had no idea where it came from or what it wanted or what it even was.
"Wey!" Friends!
Jason tossed his head and stamped his paw.
Alfie tried to calm them all down but Jason was not calm. Not after all of that.
"Wey!" Jason knew enough! Dami brought him and he's Dami's friend! He's Jason's friend now, too!
"I am hearing nothing from Father. I would expect Father to make similar noises to Alexander or Todd. Or perhaps grunts as he often does." Dami said finally said.
"Weh," that was not his name. That was a dumb name and his name was not dumb.
B stared at them sternly. Jason scooted closer to His Friend. Timbit moved and blocked B from sight.
Reminded of what had started this Jason scrambled up Timbit, grabbed the stethoscope then jumped down. He was very mature and and gently placed it against His Friend's chest instead of shoving it, even though he was frustrated.
Warily, His Friend held the stethoscope against his chest and equally warily Timbit raised the other ends to his ears.
Satisfied, Jason sat down and went about setting his ruffled mane of fur to rights.
It didn't take long and when Timbit was done he started talking with Alfie and Dami, but everyone talked really fast and no one talked at him. Jason kept an ear out for important words and turned to face His New Friend.
"Wey?" What was His Friend's name, if it wasn't Alexander? Dami liked giving his animal friends very important names.
"Weh," his name was way cooler than Alexander. He was Danny (the balance, the defender of living and dead, the tamer of halloween, imprisoner of the dark, the great one of the far frozen, knight of mattingly) phantom!
Jason made appropriate noises of admiration at his very cool name. He wanted to tell Danny his name. Maybe if B told him not to, he would have. Instead he introduced himself as
"Wey!" Red (precious one, street rat, prodigal son of the night, light in the darkness, heaven sent yet earthbound, defender of the weak, savior of the desperate, monster slayer, name taker, the butcher prince of gotham, outlaw) Hood!
Jason didn't know his own vigilante name was so cool! He also didn't know how he said all of that when he really just said Red Hood. He sat and tapped his paw against his chin in thought. It was a very thinky pose.
Phantom was suitably impressed with his own name. Though he acted like it wasn't as cool as it really was. That was fine, not everyone can be as cool as Jason. Sometimes they had to pretend they were better than him so they didn't cry. Jason magnanimously ignored it. He still had no new idea on why his name did that.
Now that Jason had no task to focus on, he noticed the bats. Not his family. Their pets. Sort of. They vaccinated and doctored them, so that made them pets. Yes. Jason noticed their pet bats in the Batcave. He looked up. They were so noisy!
Phantom pressed against his side and pressed his head against Jason's, trying to see exactly what Jason saw.
"Weh." That's a ceiling.
Jason shook his head. He wasn't looking there! But, oh, he must be using that other sense. Jason looked for Alfie. He was in deep discussion with the others, even B. Jason leapt down to the floor and trotted off. Phantom didn't follow. Jason looked back at him and lashed his tail.
"Mrrp?" Wasn't Phantom coming to see the bats?
Phantom looked over at the others then shrugged and followed Jason out. Jason looked up at the bats (squinting with his eyes to make sure eyes could see them). Phantom floated up.
"Wey?!" They could fly?!
Phantom snorted and made a loop-de-loop then looked back.
Jason got his paws under him and leapt. He started falling, then he didn't. Jason laughed.
"Wey!" Flying is just falling without hitting the ground!
"Weh." Yeah, sure.
Phantom shrugged.
Jason flew higher, overtaking Phantom. Phantom flew in front of him and they started racing. It was fun. Jason was winning when Phantom turned it into tag. Jason tumbled mid air before righting himself. They played tag all over the trophy wall, then up to the ceiling and in between the stalactites.
The bats were gone now. It must be night. Jason tackled Danny and they both smacked into a stalactite.
Two little ghostly voices yelled
"CHIRP" OW PAIN
B was on them in an instant. Jason hissed and shook him off and floated back. B turned to Phantom and gave him a field check, Phantom floated in place, eyes wide. B then turned back to Jason. Jason fought him but B did finish a field check anyway.
Alfie called them to order and Jason ran (flew) down and told him B caught him and wouldn't let him go. B tried to defend himself. Phantom followed slowly.
"Weh..." Batman was just checking on them. Yeah it was weird an adult cared but it wasn't mean.
Jason and B turned as one to Danny; their glowing white eyes open wide. Phantom was alarmed.
"Meep." What did he do?!
Two little ghostly voices said loudly: Adults are supposed to care about that!
"..." Phantom must come here immediately so B can keep him safe.
"Wey!" Like B kept Jason safe?
B started crying. He slumped onto the floor like a sad wet bat puddle.
Jason (literally) backpedaled in alarm. He bumped into Alfie and shrank low and hid his face in his ruff of fluffy mane.
His Family was talking but Jason was only picking out about every two words out of seven. He made B cry. He didn't know what to do. He was mad but he was sad now too. Making B cry didn't take the mad away at all. It made everything worse.
Phantom poked him.
"Weh?"
There was only confusion and a little worry. No words.
Jason chirped then whined. B kept crying. It was pathetic. Jason didn't know how to turn off this sense he was using. He didn't like this at all.
"Wey!" He didn't know what to do!
Phantom chirruped and pushed him at B. Jason went. It didn't help, he was just as confused and scared but now next to B. Phantom butted his head against his shoulder. Jason shifted his paws back and forth. Phantom grabbed his paw in his and put it on B's back. B looked up at him, his eyes were all wobbly and wet and Jason whined. Phantom floated out of B's sight line then mimed hugging.
Jason looked back at B.
"..." son?
"Weh." Did B really mean it? Really really for real? He wasn't gonna take it back this time?
B wrapped him up in his shadowy cape and hugged him close. Jason started crying. B started purring. Phantom rubbed the back of his neck and looked around the cave.
Damian picked up Phantom and chastised him for getting lost. Tim took pictures of Red Hood and Batman hugging. Alfred sighed and picked his son and grandson up off of the floor. Tim took pics of that, too.
Jason immediately attempted to tell Alfred everything. Bruce tried to tell Alfred Jason forgave him. Jason protested that he was getting there and told it way better so Bruce needed to stop interrupting. Bruce again enveloped Jason in his cape and started purring. Jason shook himself hissed at Bruce, then ignored him and went back to telling Alfred about his very exciting adventure with Phantom.
"I do hope we can return you all to your proper state with speed." Alfred said, mainly for his own benefit. It was clear that the longer they were in this state the more animal-like they became. As long as no one aggravated the three of them no one would be bitten.
This was but a temporary inconvenience.