[ the wrapping paper ripped off cleanly, discarded to the floor in favor of the pretty little box underneath. he didn't waste time opening it, but his breath sticks in his chest when his gift slides into his hands.
what's in his hands hardly needs dick's explanation, recognizable under the additions, and it fuels the most conflicting well of emotions in him. if anyone'd ever asked him if he wanted anything he'd left behind with robin, he'd have sneered no. this is something completely different though, a frankenstein of dick's and his stuff that hits hard.
almost as hard as the immediate recognition that this wasn't some last minute gift. it took time. it was something dick had to think through. that hits harder than he'd expect, that all this time he's been running from that shit, dick hadn't forgotten him. there's like no way he deserves this after all the shit he gave dick. more so after today, all the bullshit he said. blaming dick for shit that couldn't be his fault.
it's too nice, a freaking gorgeous staff before dick added all the fine details. there's awe in his expression, in his eyes as he turns it over in his hands, doesn't want to tell dick how fucking cool jason used to think he looked with his bo staff. so badass. the staff he'd train with at the tower had nothing on dick's. he itches to try it out already, but sizhui is right there. jason glances at him and while this probably doesn't mean anything, he doesn't want to inspire more questions. he looks away quickly from the rapt attention, feels awkward under it.
he thumbs over the J and when he lifts his gaze back to dick, his throat gets tight to find dick already watching him.] I don't hate it. [he's quick to say and what he hadn't wanted to say follows anyway, out his mouth.] I always thought your bo staff was so fucking cool.
[ The sound of his own heart hammering away in his chest is so loud in his ears. Heās tense, watching Jason open up the present, eyes lifting wary and unsure to look at Sizhui, whoās also watching raptly. God. Those flickers of emotion over Jasonās face and itās hard for him to read exactly what any of it even means. Thereāthe pain that he predicted, fascination with the bo-staff, that he also knew would be there. A new toy, right? Who could resist. Jason lifts it and grips it and Dick feels his mouth part with how good it looks in Jasonās hand. Hisāhis, refashioned and now Jasonās. Strong fingers wrapped around the leather binding and a calloused thumb sliding over the āJā branded into the slick material.
Fuck itās hard to breathe. Itās hard to breathe because he knows how much this staff means to him, because he knows how much thought he put into it, making sure itād be just right and flawless when he expands. He braces himself for the disgust that must set in afterwards.
Except Jason doesnāt hate it. His eyes snap back to Jasonās face, widened in surprise. A beat as he tries to figure out what to say. ]
IāOkay. Well itās yours now. [ Hardened eyes soften just a tad, concrete walls cracking in the face of that realization. Jason doesnāt hate it. A breath he had been holding falls out in a sigh as he looks at Sizhui. He still treads carefully here. ] I didnāt want it to be a big thing like this. [ He explains quietly, offered as information rather than blame. ]
[after jason removes the staff from it's cradle, sizhui isn't sure why, but he instinctively reaches out, takes the box it was settled in so jason can get a better feel for the weapon. doing this, however, means his hands at least have something to do rather than fight to stay behind his back. because aside from peeking toward dick every now and then, he can't keep his eyes off how perfectly the baton settles in jason's hands, the way he moves it between his fingers in silent admiration. jay likes it, doesn't he?
good, since it was obviously made for him, make no mistake. seems he isn't the only one taken, either. he spares dick the briefest sidelong glance, considers his open mouth, wets his own lips before forcing himself to look away, the blood whooshing in his ears all he can hear for that too long minute.
he exhales a breathless sigh, loosens his vice-like grip on the weapon's container and, albeit with reluctance, averts his attention to dick again following his comment.] I'm sorry, I shouldn't haveā [sizhui hesitates, lowers his head once more, considers what words would work in this moment. it is a big thing, he reminds himself, dark eyes darting upward, from dick to jason then back.]
...how far does it extend? [because jason should try it out. maybe not swing too much or try anything super intricate, but opening the bo staff for a moment, letting its full weight rest in his hands. sizhui suppresses another noise ā something more unexplainable that might not sound appropriate coming out ā then fixes his gaze on dick, patiently waiting for an answer. (goodness, when did it get so warm all of a sudden?)]
[he doesn't hate it -- that's a goddamn understatement. his throat is still tight, makes it hard to swallow and hard to get words out, but it doesn't get any easier when dick's eyes snap back to him, wide. his eyes get softer and jason looks away, looks back down to the badass staff that's his now. yeah, he gets it when dick says he didn't want it to be this big of a deal.]
Thanks, [ he says, quieter. the whole spectacle aside, it wouldn't have meant any less, though. no one's given him anything important like this, made for him like this. he can't help running his fingers over the fine details, the kevlar strips and the J and -- all of it. he still can't believe dick did this for him.
his eyes flick back up when sizhui apologizes and, fuck does jason have a lot to apologize for when dick leaves. shit to explain that'd he rather not. only fucking fair that dick got outed too.
sizhui's curious question has jason's mouth pulling into a smirk even while sizhui is looking at dick for an answer. like jay can't just show him. he steps back, mindful of sizhui's neat little apartment.] Oh, I can answer thatā
[and jason does with a cocky flourish that compliments the staff extending to it's full length. he rests it against his shoulder with a pleased smirk.] Don't get jealous, baby.
[ Dick doesnāt often make it so obvious that he sees these things so clearly, but the interest in Sizhuiās eyes is undeniable. Itās as undeniable as how good Jason looks with the weapon held in his hand, in its small, compact form. Thereās a curious raise of a brow when Sizhui asks how long it extends. In all honesty, thatās not quite the reaction he had expected. Most would have been questioning the fact that heād just gifted a weapon as a birthday present, but Sizhui just seemsāinterested.
And Jason looks actually somewhat pleased with it. Dick takes another breath, slow to inhale and heavy with relief as he exhales. He even lets his mouth soften, looking away from Jason for the moment he extends it, watching Sizhuiās reaction.
The staff extends just as it should, swift and clean, sleek in Jasonās strong grip. God. He looks away, suddenly finding the ground very interesting. Part of him pinches at the sight of Jason holding something so Robin. Another part of him is pleased that what he made is so fitting.
When he looks up again, thereās a hint of warmth in his eyes. ]
Youāre welcome. [ He pushes off the counter. ] Alright, I think Iāve stayed long enough. Sizhui. Thanks for inviting me in. Nice meeting you. [ A beat, because none of this turned out as bad as it did. ] Jason. If you want tips with that, you know where I am.
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what's in his hands hardly needs dick's explanation, recognizable under the additions, and it fuels the most conflicting well of emotions in him. if anyone'd ever asked him if he wanted anything he'd left behind with robin, he'd have sneered no. this is something completely different though, a frankenstein of dick's and his stuff that hits hard.
almost as hard as the immediate recognition that this wasn't some last minute gift. it took time. it was something dick had to think through. that hits harder than he'd expect, that all this time he's been running from that shit, dick hadn't forgotten him. there's like no way he deserves this after all the shit he gave dick. more so after today, all the bullshit he said. blaming dick for shit that couldn't be his fault.
it's too nice, a freaking gorgeous staff before dick added all the fine details. there's awe in his expression, in his eyes as he turns it over in his hands, doesn't want to tell dick how fucking cool jason used to think he looked with his bo staff. so badass. the staff he'd train with at the tower had nothing on dick's. he itches to try it out already, but sizhui is right there. jason glances at him and while this probably doesn't mean anything, he doesn't want to inspire more questions. he looks away quickly from the rapt attention, feels awkward under it.
he thumbs over the J and when he lifts his gaze back to dick, his throat gets tight to find dick already watching him.] I don't hate it. [he's quick to say and what he hadn't wanted to say follows anyway, out his mouth.] I always thought your bo staff was so fucking cool.
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Fuck itās hard to breathe. Itās hard to breathe because he knows how much this staff means to him, because he knows how much thought he put into it, making sure itād be just right and flawless when he expands. He braces himself for the disgust that must set in afterwards.
Except Jason doesnāt hate it. His eyes snap back to Jasonās face, widened in surprise. A beat as he tries to figure out what to say. ]
IāOkay. Well itās yours now. [ Hardened eyes soften just a tad, concrete walls cracking in the face of that realization. Jason doesnāt hate it. A breath he had been holding falls out in a sigh as he looks at Sizhui. He still treads carefully here. ] I didnāt want it to be a big thing like this. [ He explains quietly, offered as information rather than blame. ]
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good, since it was obviously made for him, make no mistake. seems he isn't the only one taken, either. he spares dick the briefest sidelong glance, considers his open mouth, wets his own lips before forcing himself to look away, the blood whooshing in his ears all he can hear for that too long minute.
he exhales a breathless sigh, loosens his vice-like grip on the weapon's container and, albeit with reluctance, averts his attention to dick again following his comment.] I'm sorry, I shouldn't haveā [sizhui hesitates, lowers his head once more, considers what words would work in this moment. it is a big thing, he reminds himself, dark eyes darting upward, from dick to jason then back.]
...how far does it extend? [because jason should try it out. maybe not swing too much or try anything super intricate, but opening the bo staff for a moment, letting its full weight rest in his hands. sizhui suppresses another noise ā something more unexplainable that might not sound appropriate coming out ā then fixes his gaze on dick, patiently waiting for an answer. (goodness, when did it get so warm all of a sudden?)]
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Thanks, [ he says, quieter. the whole spectacle aside, it wouldn't have meant any less, though. no one's given him anything important like this, made for him like this. he can't help running his fingers over the fine details, the kevlar strips and the J and -- all of it. he still can't believe dick did this for him.
his eyes flick back up when sizhui apologizes and, fuck does jason have a lot to apologize for when dick leaves. shit to explain that'd he rather not. only fucking fair that dick got outed too.
sizhui's curious question has jason's mouth pulling into a smirk even while sizhui is looking at dick for an answer. like jay can't just show him. he steps back, mindful of sizhui's neat little apartment.] Oh, I can answer thatā
[and jason does with a cocky flourish that compliments the staff extending to it's full length. he rests it against his shoulder with a pleased smirk.] Don't get jealous, baby.
no subject
And Jason looks actually somewhat pleased with it. Dick takes another breath, slow to inhale and heavy with relief as he exhales. He even lets his mouth soften, looking away from Jason for the moment he extends it, watching Sizhuiās reaction.
The staff extends just as it should, swift and clean, sleek in Jasonās strong grip. God. He looks away, suddenly finding the ground very interesting. Part of him pinches at the sight of Jason holding something so Robin. Another part of him is pleased that what he made is so fitting.
When he looks up again, thereās a hint of warmth in his eyes. ]
Youāre welcome. [ He pushes off the counter. ] Alright, I think Iāve stayed long enough. Sizhui. Thanks for inviting me in. Nice meeting you. [ A beat, because none of this turned out as bad as it did. ] Jason. If you want tips with that, you know where I am.