Chapter Text
Jason Ferris, formerly Jason Todd-Wayne huffed as he turned another circuit through the living room. “He’s going to recognize me.” Jason said flatly. “Dick was always the Golden Boy, the great Robin I couldn’t live up to. He’s going to take one look at me and know it’s me, and then everything everyone has done to hide me will be for naught.”
“He’ll be less likely to recognize you if you avoid phrases like “ for naught, ’ Jay.” Hal said, with a bit of an eye roll.
Carol shot a light energy bolt at Hal as she shook her head. “He probably won’t recognize you, sweetheart.” She reassured her adoptive son, at least according to a few planets. “Wally’s known you almost since we brought you home, and he’s never figured it out.”
“Wally’s brain works too fast, and I didn’t spend much time with the Titans. It was only a mission or two before…everything.” Jason argued.
“You look completely different, Jay.” Hal reassured him. “And Spooky is insisting everyone stay masked for the dinner, so that’ll help.”
“A little.” Jason admitted. “But it’s still risky.”
Carol took both of his larger hands in hers, stopping his pacing. “But I know you think of Wally like a brother, and you want to be there for him. You know how big of a deal this is for him.” She said, easily. “What would make you feel safer, meeting Nightwing again? How can we help you feel secure at the family dinner?”
Jason looked at their joined hands for a moment, before looking up at the best mother he had ever had. “Can I bring Kara too?” He said, slowly. “If I start to lose it, she can pull me back or pull me out of there.”
“I’ll call Barry now.” Hal assured him. “One more for dinner won’t make or break anything. If Kara will help you feel as though you can do this without wearing a hole in the floor, then Kara gets to come along.”
Barry stared at his wife and sighed. "Really, Iris?"
Iris sniffed from beneath her Flash cowl lifted from one of his old suits. "Well I wasn't going to be the only one without a mask." She said plainly. "And Carol said Jay's really nervous. I am going to support both of the boys."
Barry reached over and tugged the cowl a bit over his wife’s nose, before leaning in and giving her a kiss. “You’re a good woman, Iris.”
“Thanks, sweetheart.” Iris answered. “Set the table for me, would you? Hal and Jay are in the back and Carol and Kara are on the patio, last I checked.”
“In a flash!” Barry dad-joked before streaming into the dining room as Iris rolled her eyes. The atmosphere in the house was unusual, instead of the usual feeling at the family dinner, it was as if everyone was waiting for a bomb to go off.
Iris wasn’t sure if the bomb was named ‘Nightwing’ or ‘Jay Ferris’s Identity.’ Either way, it was as if everyone was holding their breath. In this case, she was almost glad for how paranoid Batman was, that he still wouldn’t allow Nightwing to reveal his identity. It worked in their favor. She had been looking forward to throwing a family dinner where Jay could bring his girlfriend to meet the West-Allen-Ferris-Jordan family formally, but Jay was so nervous at the idea of meeting his former brother again that Kara had gotten crammed into the Nightwing dinner.
“We’re here!” Wally announced from the foyer, and Iris pasted on a smile before taking a deep breath and heading in that direction.
Nightwing shifted nervously, feeling strange for the first time in a long time about his domino mask. He was used to Batman’s paranoia, he had seen it firsthand since he was nine, but this felt so strange. He was meeting Wally’s family , who were almost all other superheroes, but B had refused to loosen the mask rule for the Flash family.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” A woman said, entering the room with a smile, and a Flash cowl on her head. “And so glad you could bring your boyfriend.” She held out her hand. “You can call me Gleam. I know it’s taken, but every good name is taken, and it’s just for dinner.”
“Nice to meet you, Gleam.” Nightwing said with a smile, handing her a bottle of wine. “I was taught to never show up empty-handed, so I brought this from the Batcave’s wine cellars for dinner.”
“Lovely.” Gleam said with a smile. “I’ll just go get the corkscrew for this. Kid, elder Flash is setting the table, and I believe the Lanterns are all out on the patio. Go tell them to get their butts in here for dinner!”
“Lanterns?” Nightwing repeated, slightly flummoxed.
“ Yeah …” Wally said, drawing out the words. “Uncle Flash and…and Aunt Gleam have a thing with Green Lantern and Star Sapphire. We’re all sort of one big family. Me, Gleam, Flash, Hal…I mean, GL, Star Sapphire and Starling, or Carol and Hal’s adopted son who’s the first male Star Sapphire.”
“Oh.” Nightwing said, feeling just a little more nervous. He had thought he’d have to deal with two new people, not so many, but at least he knew Hal and Barry as Flash and Green Lantern.
“You'll be fine!” Kid Flash assured him, bumping Nightwing’s shoulder with his own. “They’ll love you!” He leaned over with a grin. “And if they don’t, we’ll run away.”
“You’re going to be brilliant.” Red Lantern soothed her violet counterpart, using her Kryptoniasn strength to try and knead the tension out of his shoulders. “KF’s Wing isn’t going to know anything, and if anything happens, we’ll fly away.” She kissed his cheek below the mask. “We saw a sunrise on that planetoid, we can always go back for a moonlit picnic.”
Jason felt his lips quirk up into a mischievous smile that still caused his dimples to show. “As long as we warn Mom first this time.”
Wally led Dick onto the patio, and grinned. “So, you’ve met this guy before.” He offered, leading him over to Green Lantern.
“Yep.” Nightwing said, popping the ‘p.’ “Good to see you again, GL.”
“You too, Nightwing.” Hal offered with a smile, before gesturing beside him. “This lovely lady next to me is Star Sapphire.” He did a bit of a flourish. “Star, this is Nightwing, Spooky’s protégé, and more importantly, our Wally’s boyfriend.”
“Good to meet you.” Star Sapphire said, shaking his hand.
“You too.” Nightwing said, with a smile. “I’ve heard some amazing things.”
Carol chuckled. “Anything Green Lantern tells you is probably exaggerated.” She gestured over to the far corner of the patio. “My son and fellow Star Sapphire is over there with his girlfriend, who is a Red Lantern. We’ll call him Starling tonight.”
Wally frowned, looking over at his pseudo brother, who was as far from them as he could get, and half-behind his girlfriend. “Is he okay?” Wally asked. He had expected Jay to be front and center with bro-like intimidation.
“He’s fine.” Carol assured Wally, a hand on his shoulder. He’s here, after all, and this is and always has been, a safe place for family and friends.” She glanced at Nightwing. “And loved ones.” She shooed them over. “Go say hi.”
Wally nodded, and taking Nightwing’s hand again, pulled him over to the last people on the patio. “Hey, J…Starling!” Wally said. Correcting himself at the last minute. “I wanted you to meet my boyfriend. This is Nightwing!”
Jay seemed to take a breath before turning, but he was smiling as he held out a hand. “I guess I’m Starling tonight.” He answered. “Good to see you, Nightwing. Are you keeping this guy out of trouble?”
“As much as I can.” Nightwing said with a laugh. “He’s pretty quick to get into it.”
Jay laughed. “Don’t I know it.” He said, a bit wryly, before he held up his other hand still entwined with the blonde’s beside him. “This is Red Lantern, my girlfriend. Red, this is my almost-brother and his boyfriend.”
“Good to meet you.” Red Lantern said with a nod and a smile, though she didn’t offer a hand.
“Dinner is now being served in the dining room!” Barry called. “Get your butts in here before I eat it all!”
Wally laughed, although there was a weird feeling he couldn’t seem to shake. “You heard Uncle Flash!” And with that, he sped Nightwing to the dining room in a bridal hold. Everything was going to be fine. He knew it was.