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Tim Drake doesn't smile. It jakes Jason a few months to notice, but when he does, he can't stop. He stares at his brother's face whenever he's happy and the most he gets is crinkled eyes. Once, he saw the corners lift up just a slight. Nothing like a real one. Jason knows it's not his place to ask. He shouldn't press in on what ever he's got going on there. Hell knows Jason doesn't want to talk about everything the Joker put him through. He's barely told Dick half of it.
Still, there's one night when Robin wanders into Red Hood's area and Tim and Jason end up on a roof together. Jason think she did it on purpose. The Joker is off the grid again and it's not a surprise to anyone in the family when Red Hood becomes more brutal than he's been in weeks. What is a surprise to Jason, at least, is the fact that Robin's been out on patrol less and less since the news. In fact, tonight's the first night he's seen Tim on patrol in almost a week.
"The fries are Jokerized," Tim says. Jason gives him a flat look. Tim is giving him his usual smile.
"Yeah, what the hell," Jason says. He grabs a few fries from the bag. As they eat, Tim chatters. Jason doesn't understand half of it, but it's clear Tim needs to talk. He's swinging his legs with a bit more force today. There's a nervous energy about him. Jason still fights Tim for the last fry.
"So how are you holding up?" Tim asks as Jason chews on the last fries.
"About as good as I can be," Jason says, "He's been quiet since he went missing. That's what bothers me most."
"B's been looking into it."
"And what's he found?" Jason doesn't mean to snap. Not at Tim at least. He hides his wince by looking out at the skyline. They sit in silence for a while. Jason tries not to think too much about what the Joker could be planning. He knows whatever he comes up with Bruce will already have a way to counter it. Even if he doesn't have an idea about what the Joker is doing. It's one of the things Jason can still admire about Bruce.
Jason wonders if Sunday family dinners are still enforced.
"Quiet night." Tim says. Jason gives him a sideways look.
"Why would you say that?" he says.
"Dunno what you mean."
"You know exactly what I mean." In the distance several sirens start blaring. Jason waves a hand in the direction of the sound. Tim is giving him the trademark not-really-a-smile.
"Figured we could use a little excitement." He says. There's an explosion in the distance. "Okay, not that much."
Jason stands and doesn't bother making sure Tim is following before he runs off. He pulls his helmet on and in an instant, comms to Dick and Bruce are on and running. The two of them are already in conversation when he joins them. Tim let's them know him and Jason are on there way. Jason watches the smoke rise in the distance. The building was a blaze in the dark night.
"It's the Joker," Dick says. Jason falters. He hears Tim do the same. "He's just… standing there."
"Hood, Robin?" Bruce says. Jason clenches his jaw and keeps moving. "If either of you want to sit this one out, no one would hold it against you."
"We're almost there, B," Tim answers for them. Jason can't understand why Tim would want to sit back. There's something itching in the back of his mind, something he's sure he saw on the computer back in the cave, but he can't peel it back. When he glances to where Tim is running beside him, there's a grim look on his face.
It doesn't take long before Tim and Jason join the party. Bruce and Dick are standing across the street from the burning building. Bruce has the look on his face that Jason knows means he's running through every possibility. Dick is watching both Jason and Tim with a concerned look. Although, he's watching Tim with a closer eye.
Something in Jason makes him think he should've pushed a little more about Tim.
"How are you holding up?" Dick asks. Tim shrugs. Jason ignores the question to watch the Joker. The man really is just standing there. Watching the blazes. There's something in his hand, though. Jason doesn't doubt it's a detonator to another bomb somewhere in the city. Bruce is probably thinking through possibilities.
"Hood, Robin," he says, "You two stay here." Before anyone can question him, Bruce is walking across the road. He doesn't make it half-way before the Joker turns and raises a finger, shaking it back and forth.
"Oh no, Batsy!" he says, "This isn't for you." Bruce stops. Jason tenses and when he goes to step forward, Tim puts a hand on his chest.
"I don't think he's here for you, either," Tim says. There's a waver in his voice. Jason frowns and studies Tim. He's shaking. His eyes are glassy and he's not focused on anything. He's looking in the direction of the Joker, but his eyes are far away. Jason's seen that look in the mirror enough times to know where Tim is.
Jason really should have pushed about Tim Drake.
Tim takes in a trembling breath before walking into the road.
"Robin, no." Bruce orders. Tim doesn't stop.
"There he is!" the Joker says. "The boy of the hour. Come to papa." Tim flinches like he's been shot and Jason wishes he'd gone through with his original plan to kill the Joker instead of trying to get Bruce to do it.
Bruce fully turns his back on the Joker to grab Tim's shoulders. He must've turned off his comms, because Jason can see his lips moving, but he's not hearing him.
Tim is still shaking.
Jason's hand rests on his gun.
"Come on, Junior!" the Joker says. Bruce stiffens. "I can't wait for us to get started together again."
Junior. Part of it clicks for Jason then. He'd seen a file on the computer tilted "Joker Junior". It had been made by Tim and password locked. Jason never asked him about it because technically, Jason had broken into the cave in order to snoop. He made note of it in one of his journals, but when he'd tried to look into it further, the news held nothing. Now, Jason realizes it's an autobiographical file. Whatever happened to Tim and whenever he'd been Joker Junior, he thought it important enough to keep a file on hand.
Or Bruce hadn't wanted to be reminded of it and Tim needed to be.
Tim pushes past Bruce. Jason steps forward before Dick grabs his arm. He glares at Dick, though the expression is hidden behind the helmet.
"What the hell is going on?" Jason hisses. He has a pretty good idea. Still, he needs to hear it.
"Hood," Dick says, "We tried to keep it from happening again. You have to understand, we put up every safety net we could think of—"
"What. The hell. Did Joker do?" Jason's heart is pounding and his blood is rushing in his ears. God, this had been exactly the thing he was trying to get Bruce to understand. The other side of the coin would never stop terrorizing innocents. They never cared what damage and hurt they brought upon others. The only thing that would stop them was if they were six feet under.
"He made Robin into someone else." Bruce answers. His voice is void of emotion. "Into… Something else. It… I…" Jason stares at him. He's never heard Bruce at a loss for words.
Jason pulls his arm out of Dick's grasp. He ignores Bruce and Dick calling for him to wait. He rushes across the road; making it to the curb before the Joker reacts. He holds his arm out holding the detonator out to Jason with the thumb resting on the button. Jason stumbles to a stop.
"Now, now!" the Joker says. "We're having a tearful family reunion here. Now, smile for me, son! Let me see those pearly whites." Tim swallows and grins.
Jason has a visceral reaction to the expression. That's not Tim's smile. That's not the smile he ever wanted to see his brother give. That's the same damn smile as the Joker.
"Get the detonator, Hood." Tim grinds out. His smile never falters.
"Robin—"
"Get the damn detonator!" The Joker laughs. He turns his palm to the side, open and waiting for Jason.
Jason grips the handle of his gun a little tighter. He forces himself to step forward. He takes the detonator out of the Jokers hand and steps out of reach. The Joker isn't even looking at him. He's grinning right alongside Tim.
"Let's go, JJ!" the Joker says and turns down the sidewalk, wrapping an arm around Tim. "We're going to have so much fun." Bruce shows up beside Jason. Jason hands off the detonator. He watches as Joker leads Tim inside the burning building and they both disappear into the flame.
"It's disarmed," Bruce says, "Commissioner Gordon is working on finding the bomb."
"And what about Robin?" Jason snarls. "You're just going to let the Joker walk off with him?" There's so much guilt in Bruce's face. His shoulders are slumped and he's slouching so much, he actually looks his normal height outside of the suit. It doesn't do anything to quell Jason's anger.
"You have some goddamn explaining to do, Bats."