[Robin Hunter]

"Aww Alfie don't be like that!" Jason playfully groaned. "You know I'm way tougher than that! I'm probably even more though than Dick was as Robin! In all the photos he looks way smaller than I am!" Jason said, almost puffing out his thin chest in pride. "I'm when Dad starts taking me out on more serious patrols he'l see I'm durable enough! I don't to babied with any kind of training phase! " Jason attested once more. He had a thick skin from day one and wasn't going to let himself be underestimated

Jason's grin returned in a flash at Alfred's request."Okay!" As was settled back and watched Alfred go to work he shrugged bashfully at Bruce's apparent praise of him. "Heh, he doesn't have to that. I've barely been out enough for him to really see anything worthwhile." Jason was caught in his thoughts for a few moment before he spoke back up. "I really hope he likes me to, I mean Dick's always had like super crazy acrobat skills right ? It's basically a super power! I've just a pretty good left hook and know how to improvise." Jason said with a sigh. He'd seen how Dick was during training and there was considerable amount of worry when it came to measuring up to his processor.

Jason went to work right away crushing the cloves in hands before returning them to Alfred. He actually really liked helping Alfie cook! It made him feel less left out around here! Hopefully if he did okay this time Alfred would let him continue helping out in the future! Jason watched with awe at the fruits, or rather cookies, of their labor! They looked so yummy! At the mention of his former vice, Jason reached up and began to run a hand through his curls. "I can't lie and say I don't miss them. It's a little easier since I have food now, but if I was eating as much as I am I wouldn't be able to stay clean. Withdrawals haven't told set in but sometimes my head does feel a bit whoozy for no reason. Whenever I smell smoke it makes feel kind of miserable for a few moments." Jason said as he accepted the glass full of juice. As he drunk how his eyes did leave the cookies for a second.

"It wasn't till I was already hook on em' till' I even found out they could be bad for you, you know? There were way easier to come by for food and compared to some of the other stuff I tried around Crime Alley, they were the most stable option. Though when I saw people going through withdrawals for awhile I thought that if I stopped smoking the same thing would happen to me, pretty stupid I know." Jason said lightly despite the dark subject matter. He'd tried pot and few other things on the street, but he'd seen what happened to worse addicts and was trying his hardest to stay alive back than more than anything.

When Alfred looked for a split second Jason reached a hand over to pick a particularity chocolate filed cookie up from the baking tray, but the moment the unprotected little digits came in contact with the treat Jason's hand shot backwards and he released a yelp of pain at the searing pain the shot through his hand. "OWW! OW! Shit! Shit! It hurts!" Jason cried the swear slipping out without a second thought at the sudden and unexpected pain that lit up, shaking his hand frantically at the burn. He only stopped for a brief moment to look at the now red patches of his skin of all of his fingers. Gosh it was going to be painful to probably even hold his fork tonight even! Jason was bouncing in place on the counter, blue eyes darting every which way in search of some form of relief


Dick hoped Bruce was right, though to his mixed experience he tended to be just so. One of the hardest parts of growing into his own was not always looking up at Bruce for the right answers for everything that he did. Though he felt more and more that maybe growing up didn't mean letting go of Bruce's hand, but more the two of them walking in stride as apposed to Bruce leading him forward as he used to. Even though he would have to bear through school and keeping a collected public persona, he knew there would always be people who understood every part of him. Though he wasn't sure anyone could ever truly compare in that regard other than Bruce did, the two had been kindred from the start.

"That's different! Everything was new not living in the circus for the first time you know! I found it more crazy back than the school didn't move when you first send me! It's not always easy to learn your colors and alphabet when you're traveling with lions and elephants you know!" Dick said fondly. "Well that in and the fact the playground at school was the only place outside the Batcave practice room were no got on my case for having some gosh darn fun!" Dick said with clearly faux-anger. Back when he had first come to the manor most of the times he first got in trouble were because he climbed over everything he could his little hands on at the time.

Dick briefly started up at Bruce with curious eyes, gauging his father's words slowly. He tried to almost mirror some of Bruce's poker faces, but at Bruce's response he couldn't keep it up in the slightest. He gave a little nod as he turned his face downward to conceal a smile from Bruce. He couldn't help but revel in Bruce's attentiveness, he knew the extent of Bruce's various work avenues and busy they kept him. So knowing he still came pretty close to first was a bit of concealed pride for the teen. "O-okay daddy, I won't. I trust you." Dick's posture had eased at that, sometimes having Bruce worry about the simple things was more than a little relaxing for him, it was like being a kid again.

Dick wiped his misty eyes and tried to right himself somewhat, running a hand through his hair as well. "I-I guess, I just worry about them and I'd prefer to shoulder most of the problems. Before I met them I was really kinda lonely." Dick said wistfully, sidekicks were still very novel when he became Robin. He remembered being the smallest hero standing in room of towering A-listers that was the Justice League. "I mean you and Alfie were fun too, but I'm sure both of you could only play with me so much before you had get back to work. I still remember the first time Barry introduced you and me to Wally and I thought for sure it was to good to be true." Dick said with a grin plastered across his features.

Dick covered his mouth to stifle a laugh at Bruce's surprise. It was comforting to know that some thing just never changed with age. Though Dick himself happily accepting the kiss to his forehead. Really he's missed this amount of affection. He was someone who longed for the closeness of others whenever possible, it was until now he'd thought it meant he was going to be surrendering all claim to his independence. "You could never be angry at me and you know it. Even when you lose your awful temper, you still love me." Dick said in a cheeky tone as he nestled his head happily on Bruce's shoulder.

"I love you too." Dick said, this time with a serene smile as he relaxed against Bruce's form and felt like he could just curl up for the rest of the night in Bruce's arms as he hugged him. Dick vividly remembered what the memory that Bruce painted. "If I tried to do that know it look more like I was trying to tackle you, but...I wouldn't mind meeting you at the door still." It seemed almost like a silly thing to say, but at the same time he couldn't help but mean it. As Dick was hoisting up he wrapped his arms around Bruce's neck. "I'm fine with going downstairs, but I...don't think I'm ready to let go of you though. It doesn't matter to me, I'm fine right here." Dick said tightening his arms around his father to emphasis what here meant in this particular context. Bruce had said it didn't matter so hoped his father would stay true to his word.

As the two of them began exited his room Dick happily huddled close to Bruce, prior chastising long forgotten even though the occasional shifting in the wrong direction reminded him of the pain the was still prominent all over his rear. Was he was adjusted enough he began kicking his legs back and forth with happiness from a feeling of levity that he'd missed when it came to being so tenderly cared for. "Daddy don't we have an event coming up soon ?" Dick asked, he could barely keep his own life manged so he had just stopped trying to remember all of Bruce's silly galas. "Please tell me it's just going to be the three of us and not anyone else!" Dick said a bit of petulant voice, but not wavering on his hold for Bruce.

Even though he'd been punished over the this subject before and more recently it was something Dick could never relent on. He didn't care that Bruce dated anybody, he wanted his his father to be happy after all, but Bruce has the worst taste in women he'd ever seen! "It's going to be Jason's first time meeting the pubic and I don't some person ruining the entire thing by hanging all over you just to get into a few photos!" Dick said almost pouting now at the thought. The societies of Gotham were some of the worst people Dick had seen and he'd travel the entire world! With the exception of the Gordon and Fox families he couldn't bring himself to actually interact with anyone with true fondness. Dick knew he might get scolded for his remark, but he didn't care! Bruce never chose anyone nice to be with and everyone could see it! Alfred was just too polite to say anything, but it was something Bruce had to hear!

In the back of his mind Dick couldn't help but think of way he could take this entire situation further, another test of sorts just to see Bruce's reactions. Though it would come far later after dinner. For now though, "Daddy," Dick said in his the sweetest voice he could muster."my bottom really hurts still. I don't think the cushion the seat will help at all." Dick was almost whining now, as the words left his even at trouble making the distinction of how much was an act and how much was truly honest anymore. It was truth the his bottom was still stinting far more than usual, but he knew for a fact he could handle worse. Still he hoped Bruce could offer some sort of solution to help if he played up it up pitifully enough.