Return to Robin

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/21226304.

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: M/M
Fandom: Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), DCU
Relationship: Roy Harper/Jason Todd
Character: Jason Todd, Roy Harper, Lian Harper
Additional Tags: Halloween Costumes, Established Relationship, Kid Fic, tagged with
outlaws but not really part of that continuity
Stats: Published: 2019-10-29 Words: 1600

Return to Robin
by sunshinexbomb

Summary

“She wants to be what for Halloween?”

Roy’s not laughing, but Jason can hear the shit-eating grin that must be on his face. “Lian
said she wants to be Batman.”

“Absolutely not,” Jason scowls, phone cradled between his ear and his shoulder. “Tell her
no. Tell her Red Hood is a million - no a billion - times cooler.”

--

In which Lian wants to be Batman for Halloween, but there's absolutely no way Jason is
going to be Robin.

Notes

Sometimes you got to write the fic you want to see in the world, and the fic I want to see is
fluffy Jason/Roy kid fic nonsense. Was tempted to name this "It's Freakin' Bats (I Love
Halloween)" but resisted.

These characters aren't mine, but I love playing around with them. Thanks to Kassie for the
beta as always ♥

Happy Halloween, y'all :)

See the end of the work for more notes

“She wants to be what for Halloween?”

Roy’s not laughing, but Jason can hear the shit-eating grin that must be on his face. “Lian said she
wants to be Batman.”

“Absolutely not,” Jason scowls, phone cradled between his ear and his shoulder as he digs through
piles of laundry for something to clean to wear. “Tell her no. Tell her Red Hood is a million - no a
billion - times cooler.”

“I generally try not to lie to my daughter,” Roy says.

Jason pulls a black t-shirt out of a pile of seemingly identical black shirts. He sniffs it. Good
enough. “Fuck you,” he says, the sound muffled a bit as he pulls the shirt over his head.

“The swear jar’s getting mighty full,” Roy chides, absolutely no heat in his voice.

“Fuck off, you can’t swear jar me when I’m at my own house. Also, Lian is not being fucking
Batman.”

“Are you going to be the one to tell her no? Because I sure as hell am not.”

Jason groans, getting on his hands and knees to dig his shoes out from underneath his bed. This is
absolutely not his morning. Also, he really needs to clean his apartment before Roy and Lian come
over next.

“Fine, fine, she can be fucking - whatever. But I’m not being Robin.”

“Okay, sure,” Roy laughs. “You’re coming over for dinner today, right? Lian would love to show
you her costume.”

Jason nods, even though Roy can’t see him, “Yeah, yeah, of course. Tell the little monster I’ll be
there,” he says as he pulls his shoes on.

“Good,” Roy says. Jason’s checking the time, cursing himself for running late again when Roy
adds, “Hey, Jay?”

“Yeah?”

“Love you.”

Jason rolls his eyes, but he still feels the dumb flutter in his stomach that he does every time Roy
says that. “Love you too.”

“Good,” Roy repeats. “Don’t be late for dinner.”

Roy hangs up, and Jason rushes out the door.

--

Jason loves Lian more than he loves probably anyone else in the world. To say he would die for
her, kill for her, is not a hyperbole by any means. He would, quite literally, do anything for her.

Roy, though. He fucking hates Roy.

“I’m freezing my balls off,” Jason mumbles, quiet enough that only Roy hears him while Lian
races ahead of them to the next house.
“You could’ve worn a different costume,” Roy says innocently, eyes wide behind his blue mask.

“She said this one was her favorite outfit,” Jason says. He pulls down on his green shorts. Jason’s
not one to be self-conscious, but it’s been a long time since he’s shown so much leg in public.

“I personally think you’re rocking the green and yellow,” Roy says, but he sidles closer to Jason,
and Jason gratefully sinks into his warmth.

“I personally think you should fuck off-”

“Language,” Roy tsks and Jason steps on his foot just hard enough that it hopefully stings a little.

They reach the doorstep of the next house just as Lian is ringing the bell.

“Oh, what have we here?” the owner of the house coos as she opens the door.

“I’m Batman,” Lian says, voice low. She even attempts to make it gravelly, and Jason snorts in
laughter because it doesn’t get any less funny every time she does it. It’s a good imitation of Bruce,
if he’s being honest.

“And you brought Robin and Nightwing with you, huh? City’s going to be very safe tonight,” the
lady says, dropping a generous handful of candy into Lian’s pillowcase.

Lian’s smile is bright and gap-toothed and it makes Jason’s heart warm. “I’ll protect everyone,”
she says, her voice going back to her normal pitch in excitement.

“Good, I feel better already,” the lady winks. “Happy Halloween, love.”

They make their way down the sidewalk again, Jason pulling the dumb long cape around himself
for warmth. He can’t believe he used to go out like this every night, though back then, the
adrenaline was probably enough to keep him warm.

“Are we almost ready to go home, Li? I think Robin’s getting a bit chilly,” Roy laughs, throwing
his arm around Jason’s shoulder. Compared to Jason, he’s like a fucking furnace right now and
Jason tucks himself against Roy’s side as best he can as they’re walking.

“Yeah, Li, you couldn’t pick the costume with the long tights at least?” Jason pouts and Lian
shakes her head, giggling.

“But this one is the best one!” she insists. “Just a few more houses, daddy, promise.”

“A few more houses it is then,” Jason says with an exaggerated, long-suffering sigh that makes
Lian giggle again.

She runs off a few steps ahead of them, cape billowing behind her. Jason feels a bloom of warmth
in his chest that he can’t tamper down despite the fall chill in the air.

--

A couple more houses turns into a couple more streets until Lian is so exhausted that Jason is
carrying her on his back and Roy is swinging a bulging pillowcase full of sweets at his side.

“So, if Lian’s asleep when we get home, does that mean we get first dibs on the candy?” Roy asks,
opening up the bag to peer inside. “Because Daddy is craving some Butterfingers.”

Jason hitches Lian up higher on his back when she starts to slip. She’s such a solid, steady weight
against him, always such a grounding force when usually he feels like he could fade away at a
moment’s notice.

“First of all,” Jason says, “don’t call yourself daddy. Second of all, Butterfingers are disgusting.
Third of all, stealing candy from your own kid is low even for you-”

Roy’s laugh cuts him off as does the soft kiss he plants on Jason’s mouth as they reach the steps of
Roy and Lian’s building. “Okay, okay, calm down, Boy Wonder. Jeez, put on the uniform for a
couple hours and you’re back to being the golden boy, huh?”

“Fu - fork off,” Jason mumbles, making Roy laugh again.

The building is quiet for the most part as they make their way up to Roy’s apartment, Lian stirring
a little with the creaking of the steps and the groan of the door when Roy pushes it open.

“I can see her off to bed,” Roy says, their voices a bit more hushed now that they’re in the quiet of
the apartment.

Jason nods, being careful not to jostle Lian too much as he passes her on to Roy. Roy takes her
easily, her arms coming to wrap around his neck and her head resting on her shoulder.

“Goodnight, sweetheart,” Jason says, pushing the cowl of Lian’s costume down so he can place a
soft kiss on her forehead.

“‘Night, Robin,” Lian mumbles and Jason can’t help but smile.

Roy takes Lian down the hall to her room, whispering something quietly to her that Jason can’t
hear. As the door to Lian’s room closes, Jason starts to turn on the lights in the living room so he
can start to change out of his ridiculous costume.

The costume gets stuffed into Jason’s overnight bag as he slips on sweats and an old t-shirt that
might actually be Roy’s. It feels good to be in something more comfortable and less - revealing.
Jason really doesn’t know how he ever thought that look was a good idea.

Jason settles on the couch as he waits for Roy, digging through Lian’s bag of candy to see if there’s
anything worth nabbing.

“I thought stealing candy from Lian was a low blow,” Roy says as he comes back into the living
room, also out of his costume and into his regular clothes.

“I said it was low of you - we all know I have no shame,” Jason says, ripping into a Laffy Taffy as
Roy sinks down next to him.

Roy searches a bit until he pulls a fun-size Butterfinger bar out of Lian’s bag with a beaming smile.
He ignores the way Jason wrinkles his nose in distaste as he bites into it with a blissful grin.

“I’m not kissing you with all that crap in your mouth,” Jason says.

“Says the one eating a banana Laffy Taffy. That’s the worst one and they’re all pretty bad,” Roy
says back, licking chocolate off his fingers before diving back into Lian’s candy bag.

Jason doesn’t dignify Roy with a response because Roy’s opinions are always terrible, instead
opting to pull out just a couple more pieces of candy that he knows Lian won’t miss and pocket
them for later.
 “Thanks for coming out tonight. And dressing up,” Roy says after a couple minutes of comfortable
silence. His arm wraps around Jason’s shoulders, and Jason leans against him instinctually.

“You know I’d do anything for Lian,” Jason says.

“Even dress up as Robin,” Roy laughs.

“Even dress up as Robin,” Jason confirms. “But only once. No more Batman next year. She can be
Green Arrow or something.”

“Does that mean I have to Speedy?” Roy asks, face twisting.

“Nah,” Jason says, opening up a box of Nerds and pouring a handful into Roy’s open palm, “you’ll
be Black Canary.”

“With the fishnets and everything?”

“Of course with the fishnets. I wore the shorts tonight, you have to wear the fishnets next time,”
Jason says.

“I guess I can deal with that,” Roy says, kissing the side of Jason’s head. “After all, I do have the
legs for it.”

“You wish,” Jason scoffs, and fits himself closer against Roy’s side, settling in comfortably for the
rest of the night.

End Notes

Thanks for reading! Find me on twitter @tjoshov or on tumblr @singledadniall if you

wanna talk more about how Lian is the best baby in the DCU.

Please drop by the archive and comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!