Day Four: Moving Together

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/8488054.

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Fandom: DCU (Comics)
Relationship: Roy Harper/Jason Todd
Character: Roy Harper, Jason Todd, Lian Harper
Additional Tags: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort,
Affection, Family Fluff
Language: English
Series: Part 4 of JayRoy Week 2016
Stats: Published: 2016-11-06 Words: 1,226 Chapters: 1/1

Day Four: Moving Together

by oathkeptroxas

Summary

"I want you around when it counts."

Notes

I chose to interpret this as 'moving in together'.

It was a stormy night in Star City and Jason once again found himself at Roy's house for the
evening. He had purchased his own safe house/apartment in the city when things between the two
of them had begun to get serious, but he spent the vast majority of his time with Roy and Lian
anyway.

It had been a long, stressful day. He was exhausted but the thought of going straight to an empty
apartment was depressing, even if he would’ve simply been spending the time catching up on
sleep. He found that his days weren’t complete anymore unless he got to see Roy and Lian.

Jason’s fingers curled tightly around his coffee mug, the warmth of it soaking into his skin. He
took a long sip and sighed happily as the bitter flavour danced along his tongue.

Roy chuckled and flicked a glance over his shoulder to look at Jason. He was busy preparing
Lian’s lunch for the following school day, carefully cutting the crusts from the sandwiches and
slicing up an apple. “Sometimes I swear you love coffee more than me,” Roy teased.

“That’s because I do,” Jason quipped back, without missing a beat.

Roy laughed loudly, the full body laugh that had his head tipping back. His eyes crinkled at the
corners and his throat was bared and Jason loved him. Jason set aside his mug to step up beside his
still cackling boyfriend.

“Shhh!” Lian hissed from the opposite end of the open-plan living space, her attention on the large
TV. “Stitch!” She reminded impatiently.

It was an unspoken rule that the grown-ups had to be quiet when Lilo and Stitch was on. Roy rolled
his eyes as his laughs dissolved to mere chuckles. Jason pressed a trail of chaste kisses to the
exposed skin of Roy’s neck.

Roy wrapped an arm around Jason’s waist and gave him an affectionate squeeze, before stepping
away to finish wrapping up and boxing the food. He put the lunchbox in the fridge and placed
Lian’s packed and ready backpack on the adjacent counter.

Roy hopped up to sit on the sidebar, he stretched a leg out in front of him and hooked his foot
around Jason’s hip to tug him closer. Jason went willingly and stood between Roy’s splayed thighs,
his arms tight around his boyfriend's waist and his head resting over his heart. Roy kissed Jason’s
forehead lightly.

“You gonna help me tuck her in?” Roy asked, as he jerked his chin to indicate his daughter.

Jason peered up at him with a soft smile, just a little sad around the edges. “I want to, but that’s
your time with her.” Jason loved Lian, but tucking her in at night - though the very thought caused
a warm, tingling sensation to rise in his chest - just seemed so intimate, he didn’t want to step on
any toes.

Roy scoffed. “Jay, baby, she’s my daughter. Every minute of every day is my time with her. But,
I’m serious about this, us, and I want you around when it counts.”

Jason’s eyes grew misty, and he silently cursed Roy. No matter how much he loved and trusted
him, he hated being vulnerable. “You tryna make me cry, Harper?”

“Never,” Roy vowed, and pressed another kiss to Jason’s head.

“C’mon,” Roy murmured before gently pushing Jason back so he could slide down from the
counter.

With a soft, playful pat to Jay’s backside, Roy headed over to the sitting area. Jason followed
silently, hanging back so that Roy could take the lead.

“Alright, Pumpkin, bedtime.” Roy announced, his tone warm but firm.

“But Daddy! Stitch!” She protested, waving her arms enthusiastically at the screen.

“Alright, fine, you can watch the end of Stitch, but then straight to bed, okay? No tantrums.” Roy
conceded and threw Jason a wink, he knew the movie was drawing to a close anyway.

Jason and Roy took seats, perching on the edge of the sofa cushions. Jason could hear Lian
mumbling the lines of the movie under her breath, as Stitch spoke about his family, small and
broken but good. And Roy caressed a hand over Jason’s thigh.

The credits rolled and Lian let out a yawn, Roy scooped her up and she pouted but didn’t protest.
Roy indicated for Jason to follow him and they headed up the stairs to Lian’s room.
Jason stood a little awkwardly as Roy whispered goodnight and pulled the blanket up to the little
girl’s chin. “Sweet dreams, Etai Yazi, I love you.”

“I love you too, Daddy,” she mumbled, her eyes already fluttering closed. Jason found it hard to
swallow around the lump in his throat.

Suddenly, Lian held her arms out to Jason, her fingers wiggling and splayed wide as she reached
for him. Jason smiled, her innocence and acceptance bringing tears to his eyes.

He bent down and embraced her, and she tilted her head up to kiss his cheek. “Night, JayJay, love
you.”

“I love you, too, Princess.” He whispered.

She turned to snuggle into her blanket and drifted to sleep within seconds. Roy and Jason smiled
softly at each other, and closed the door behind them, leaving it open a crack with the hall light on.

Roy hooked a finger through Jason’s belt loop and pulled him in to smack their lips together.
“Mmm, I really think we should have a sleepover.”

Jason chuckled, “I’m here more than my own apartment,” he pointed out, stepping back.

Roy just reeled him in again, “Maybe you should just move in then.” He pressed a kiss to Jason’s
lips, but Jay was too stunned to respond.

“Are you serious?” Jason asked, suddenly anxious.

Roy shrugged. “Wouldn’t have said it if I wasn’t. But, I get it’s a big step, so no pressure.”

Jason considered for a moment. He was so tired, drained from the day's events and so cripplingly
insecure. He huffed a long breath. “Can I think about it?”

Roy smiled warmly and kissed Jason’s cheek. “Of course. C’mon.” Roy took Jason’s hands and
linked their fingers before leading him into the master bedroom.

They lay on their sides in the dark, Roy gently ran his hand up and down Jason’s flank. Jason’s
breath hitched a little, found it easier to speak now that Roy couldn’t scrutinize his face with the
lights down.

“It’s not that I don’t wanna live with you, it’s just-” Jason sighed, “It’s not pretty...my life, the way
I am...There’s violence and blood, and nightmares. I get angry and I get distant. I’m the cautionary
tale, the one that they warn people not to turn out like...I’m not someone you should want around
your daughter.” His breath hitched.

Roy reached up to cup his boyfriend's face. “Jay, baby, I get why you think those things. But,
you’re forgetting that I already know those things, and I think I see you a whole lot clearer than
you do.”

“You do,” Jason murmured, “You see me better than anyone.”

“And I love you, and so does my daughter,” Roy rubbed the pad of his thumb in a gentle caress
across Jason’s lower lip. “And I want you around when it counts,” he repeated, “I want you around
all the time.”

“Okay,” Jason whispered, his eyes fluttered shut, and he pressed into the hands still cupping his
face.

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