I moved it to it's own story cause I really like the dynamic I have in the original, so I want to keep it the way it is without this angst fest, enjoy!
Jason whined to himself, sitting alone tucked behind one of the many gargoyle that decorated the top of the building he was perched upon, he was out on another solo patrol and he was feeling terrible. Bruce hadn't let up on his case about what happened, he didn't tell him who he was with, but he didn't want to lie either. Avoiding it was the only answer, but Jason could feel Bruce staring at him, silently trying to piece it together.
He was sure he would find out, one way or another, but as messed up as it was, Stray was one of the few things that kept him sane. Jason felt so much pressure from everything, live up to Dick's legacy; prove to Bruce he wasn't wrong to put faith in Jason, get great grades at school, keep Gotham safe. It was kind of hard to feel like he was able to breathe. Then there was Stray, that never expected anything from him and wanted nothing but his company and maybe some kisses. It was just easier.
They'd been keeping this secret for nearly a whole month; Jason wouldn't let Stray leave marks anymore, as much as he actually enjoyed that. It wasn't odd for them to meet up; it happened all the time before and just now when they did, they didn't fight. They were careful; Stray wouldn't be thrilled if Selina found out either.
"Hey Birdie~" Jason's head popped up, letting go of his cape that he'd been curling around himself tightly. Stray dropped down from above, landing neatly on his feet with that sly grin on his face.
"Hey…" Jason said, it wasn't like he wasn't happy to see him; his stomach just wouldn't stop churning and felt like the knots inside would snap.
Stray's smirk softened into a fond smile, reaching out for Jason's hands, which he freely gave. He pulled Robin out of his little hiding spot and moved in close, moving Jason's arms over his shoulders and tucking his head under his chin as he embraced him.
"What's with you?" Jason mumbled, nosing the bangs that peeked out from under the cat hood.
"Whatever do you mean? Can I not just enjoy hugging my favorite little bird?" He purred softly, it was so soothing.
Jason sighed, cause he knew what he was doing and it was just so wonderful of him. He held his pretty little feline tighter, kissing his temple.
"They're gonna catch us, you know." He didn't phrase it as a question, because it wasn't one.
"Let them." Stray replied, but he knew better, he was worried about it too.
"They won't let us see each other again. Bats will take away my Robin suit."
"Mama cat will take my gear…" Stray sighed, burying his face in the Robin tunic. "I just want to be with you, I won't corrupt you…much." He teased lightly.
"Like you haven't already?" Jason smiled a little.
"Why I never, I have been a complete gentlemen." He faked being so offended very well.
"Right, of course you have." Jason laughed, it felt good, being with Stray, it felt good, and why would it be so bad? Oh right, because he was a thief. A bad guy.
"Robin…" Stray pulled away so he could look at him. "We could…stop…" It looked like it was difficult to get the words past his throat. "If you wanted to." He said it so quietly, so timidly, it was with his real voice, no Stray, just him. It broke Jason's heart.
"No, I don't want to. It's all messed up but dammit, Stray, I really like you and you make me happy." Jason admitted, feeling his insides clench up, he wasn't used to being so open but he didn't want to hear that sad sound in the usually confident voice. "I wanna be with you."
"I want to be with you too." Stray smiled, relieved.
Jason smiled too, pressing a sweet kiss to his smiling lips. When he felt the other boy melt against him, oh it just filled him with such joy, such peace. He didn't know the reasons why he started liking Stray, logically it didn't make any sense or why Stray would like him. Whatever they had, on paper, no one would get it, but it was the best thing he had and he wasn't about to lose it.
"Robin." A deep foreboding voice ripped them apart, Jason spun around trying to hold his arms out as if he was hiding Stray. He knew that would be useless, especially when those eyes narrowed at them.
"B-Batman…" He was supposed to be on the other side of town, the bat signal didn't even come on, why was here? Did he not trust Jason that much for not telling him that he tracked him? He wouldn't doubt it.
Stray grasped Robin's cape, not sure how to react, Jason wasn't either. The cat stayed still and decided it wasn't the night to be his usual self with the bat, the jig was up and there just wasn't any use trying to charm their way out of this one.
"Care to explain?" Batman slowly moved out from the shadows and into the light from the city, bat glare in full effect.
"I…I…" Jason sputtered, he could feel Stray behind him shifting nervously, and Jason swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I was kissing my boyfriend."
He swore if he could see past the cowl that Bruce's brows where ascending to space and he could hear Stray gasping a soft 'oh my god' behind him. He was totally red in the face and his heart was pounding so hard he was sure Bruce and Stray could hear it, but he wasn't gonna take it back.
"Come again?" Batman took a step closer, not scowling at Jason, but actually over his shoulder. As if Stray was the cause of this lie coming out of his young mentee's mouth.
"You heard me, Bats, I meant it." Jason was impressed with himself, his knees where knocking, but he was still holding his ground.
"Time to go home. Now." It was not a request, he reached out for Robin, but he backed up along with Stray.
"You want to talk to me about it, go ahead, you won't change my mind. I know what kind of person he is; I have been paying attention the last couple of years. He makes me happy and I like him." Jason defended.
"Birdie, I don't think you shoul-" Stray gulped when Batman looked at him again, he was full on hiding behind Robin now.
"How do you see this playing out for the two of you?" Batman asked, sounding skeptically that they'd have a good answer.
"Better chances than you and Catwoman." Jason countered; he was just making it worse for himself.
"What!?" Stray grasped his shoulders to turn him to look at him. "Are you serious?"
"Are you? Have YOU been paying attention?" Jason snorted in disbelief; their parent's banter was just as filled with romantic tension as theirs was.
"Well, I mean, I didn't know they were, like serious, mama cat never talks about it…cause she won't tell me who you guys really are." He said, quieting down when he realized Batman was staring so intensely.
"She…never told you? I know she knows…" Jason looked at Bruce, who was being unreadable as ever. "You don't know my name?"
"No…" Stray said quietly, not taking his eyes off Batman. "But I feel like we're even, you don't know mine."
Jason reached back to grab his hand, smiling at little at him when looked at him again. He mouthed, 'it'll be fine' not that he was feeling that certain, but he wasn't going to give up too easily.
When he returned his attention to the problem at hand, he set his face in determination to get it across he meant business.
"That's enough." Batman growled, catching Jason by the scruff of his cape this time, stupid hyper bat speed. Stray jumped back so not to get caught as well, looking panicked and torn between getting the hell out of there and helping Jason.
"Stray, get out of here, he can't call me a disappointment and catch you at the same time. Just go."
"Robin." Batman sounded like he was warning him, but there was an odd strain to it.
"Birdie, I can't just-" He looked between them, not budging.
"Just go!" Jason yelled, squirming around and trying to unbutton his cape, getting Bruce's attention easily.
Stray hated to do it, but he decided to listen and hoped his little bird would be able to contact him after the shit storm that was bound to go down. He snapped his whip on a nearby rail, giving Robin one last looking before swinging off into the dark.
"Let me guess." Jason snarled when Bruce pulled his hands away from trying to get off the cape. "I'm grounded and won't ever be seeing him again.
Bruce didn't answer as he took out his grapple; it was a very awkward ride home in the batmobile that night.
When they did get back and the cowl came down, Jason braced himself for the longest, angriest talk he has ever gotten in his life.
"You are not a disappointment, Jason." Bruce said, looking straight at him, he almost looked sad…
Jason pulled off his mask, dropping on the counter next to the computer, fidgeting with his cape because he could not look Bruce in the eye anymore. He didn't believe him.
"But that boy…he's not good for you." He meant well, but he was wrong. He didn't always know what was best.
"I know he's not a good guy, that he steals stuff, I get it. I don't know why I like him, but I do and I'm gonna keep seeing him. I know you don't like it and you don't approve, but he's the only thing that feels easy." Jason said, leaning against the counter, crossing his arms.
"You're impossibly stubborn." Bruce almost sounded amused.
"Jeez, wonder where I could have learned that from?" Jason grinned over at him.
"You're right I don't like it…but I don't want you to feel like you have to sneak around." And Bruce knew well enough that he would. "We'll be setting some ground rules."
Jason blinked. Wait…what…what was happening?
"Are you…letting me keep see him?" He said in shock. It couldn't possibly be true.
"To a capacity." Bruce pointed out, raising a brow. "It's better than you lying to me."
Well there's the guilt.
"I'm sorry Bruce…I didn't want to…" Jason pushed himself off the counter. "I never did…"
"I understand…I was your age once too."
"Like a million years ago." Jason joked, taking a chance to make light of all this.
"Careful." Bruce warned, but that little lift of the corner of his mouth told him this was actually happening. He was still gonna be able to see Stray, he couldn't believe it.
The long awkward talk still happened and Jason wanted to just sink into the ground when Bruce actually started 'the talk', he was NOT ready for that at all. And mainly, it only disturbed him, Bruce, the Batman, should not be allowed to give the bird and the bees, or the birds and the cats. Jason wondered if Dick had to sit through this horror fest.
It was a few nights after that before he saw Stray again; the cat actually looked startled to see him drop in on him this time. He didn't even get a word out before he had an armful of feline, a face buried in his tunic.
"Birdie, I am so happy to see you!" It was that voice again, it had to be what it was supposed to be, it almost made Jason think it was someone else.
"You wanna be even happier~?" Jason tried to mimic his cat's silky voice, he thought it was alright.
Stray looked up at him, confused and still clinging to him.
"Batman said I can actually keep dating you…or you know, whatever we are doing. Making out on roof tops and chasing each other around."
"Are you serious?" He looked genuinely floored, joy blossoming over his face. Jason didn't really mind his real voice, it was really cute. "And we are totally dating; you did say I was your boyfriend." He teased with a Cheshire grin.
"I am, I'm just as surprised as you are." Jason could feel his cheeks warm, but he was too happy to care.
He pulled him into a kiss, he had been missing out on this for days now and it was all he could think about, mainly to avoid have to think about anything else. Stray dragged his gloved fingers through Jason's hair, he could feel the tips of his retractable claws against his scalp, it sent shivers down his spine. This was his bliss right here.
"Mm…wow…" Stray hummed, smiling and his features looked so soft.
"Well, I don't want to brag, but~" Jason laughed when Stray smacked him.
"Tim."
"…what?" Jason stopped laughing, thrown off by the announcement.
Stray smiled, pushing his red tinted goggles up and off along with his cat hood. His hair was rather long, going past his ears and he had such beautiful bright blue eyes, Jason could never tell before.
"My name…It's Tim Drake." He said, smiling shyly and Jason felt like the world had shifted. Stray…no, Tim, Tim bit his bottom lip, still smiling. "I just wanted you to know." He shrugged, looking down. "I don't want you to tell me yours, cause your secret isn't just yours, but I couldn't keep it to myself anymore."
"Tim…" Jason tested the name, it was just so…normal; he kind of wanted to laugh really. "How are you more adorable without the goggles?"
Tim did laugh, full bodily and it sounded so much better in his honest voice. Tim pulled Jason into the kiss this time and Jason melted, he could hardly help him. This was the danger Bruce worried about, the power Stray had over him. He was already wrapped around his finger and it was too late now. He wouldn't trade this for anything.
And he wouldn't have to.
I accidentally made it angsty, but I wanted to continue this universe