Chapter Text
On the second morning after Ra’s death, Jason and Slade arrive at King’s Landing on Myra’s back. Bela and her fledglings are close but stay out of sight, hidden between hills.
“Growing dragons don’t belong in caves,” Slade had said and Jason and Bela had agreed without hesitation. He would rather keep her a secret until what they had to do was done.
Jason, by now just as comfortable around Myra as Slade is, places his forehead against her snout and promises to come back soon while Slade strokes across her scales reassuringly.
Their dragons did not like letting them go to the castle by themselves where danger might lurk in places they cannot access by simply knocking down a wall.
Myra watches as they get horses from the stable and make their way away from the dragonpit and into the city. There is no stealthy return when a dragon as big as her is involved. They might as well ride back to the castle out in the open.
Something has changed. Jason feels it and knows that Slade does, too. The bond between them is almost as far developed as their bonds to their dragons are. The eyes of some of King’s Landings spies are even sharper, searching for a hidden reason for their short absence. But no one can know what they did. Dragons are the fastest creatures in this realm, no raven, no horse, no news could’ve traveled faster than they did.
Even as they enter the Red Keep those eyes are still on them. As well as three new dissecting pairs of eyes.
Jason finds Bruce and Talia waiting for them and between them Damian. Bruce is scrutinising Jason’s and Slade’s state and whatever he sees between them, Talia is carefully looking them over, checking for signs of how their undertaking went, and Damian seems to be bursting with question, despite the calm look on his face. Jason sighs and looks over to Slade, who only returns his look with a slight smirk.
“Son,” Bruce greets him and takes his horse’s reins when Jason gets out of the saddle. “Everything went well?”
“Yes,” Jason nods, but looks at Talia as he says it. He’s not apologetic, not really, but he feels for her.
“Oh, Jason,” she sighs and steps forward to him to envelop him in a strong hug she doesn’t let go of for a long time. Jason puts his arms around her back and squeezes tight. “You found it,” she whispers into his hair. “Whatever you were searching for, whatever you were missing, you found it, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” he whispers back. Tears of happiness and relief threaten to spill over his cheeks. “Yes, I found it.”
“Mother told me,” Damian suddenly says and Jason looks at him over Thalia’s shoulder. “Is it done?”, he asks outright.
Jason nods, coming back into reality. Damian gives him a single nod in return and turns around to leave. A little stiffly but no doubt on his way to find Jon, which Jason is grateful for.
Slade clears his throat in the same moment as Jason lets go of Talia. Bruce gives them a look but Talia smiles and puts a hand against Jason’s shoulder blade to guide him into the castle.
“Leave the horses,” she orders, and sounds like her normal self. There’s no trace of a loss of her father in her voice. “Your visit encouraged me to come visit my son. Let’s spend some time with the family. That’s what I’m here for after all. Took you long enough to catch up with me.” Her laughter sounds across the courtyard.
On the way up to their usual breakfast terrace, Talia keeps chatting with Jason, her arm linked in his. When they get there, Damian is already waiting with Jon and they brought the King and Queen as well. The door closes behind them and Talia stops chattering.
“So the demon’s head is no more,” she sighs. Damian comes up to her and hugs her.
“It has to be this way, Mother,” he says. Talia runs a hand through his hair and Damian doesn’t even scoff at her.
“I know,” she smiles.
“I’m truly sorry for your loss,” Kal says with a hand laid across his heart.
“Thank you,” Talia says, surprise evident. She’s only vaguely familiar with the King’s family, Jason remembers.
“Did you do it?”, Bruce suddenly asks him.
Jason frowns at him, but answers honestly. “No.”
“I did,” Slade says at the same time.
That earns them another look from Bruce.
Talia looks somewhat relieved, but seemingly doesn’t want to linger on this topic.
“I have identified the threat here in King’s Landing, as well. When the news of my Father’s death reaches the city, the League might make one last attempt under the remaining leadership here. That would be Lord Cain.”
“What about his daughter?”, Jason immediately has to know. He remembers her together with the blonde girl training in the yard and dancing at the ball.
“The girl is my ward,” Talia says and regards Bruce and Kal with steel in her eyes. “Cassandra Cain and Stephanie have no part in this and are under my protection. Effective immediately.”
“I figured as much,” Bruce says and with his approval, Kal nods his agreement.
“I will pull the League out of the city and back to Harrenhal where I will evaluate their loyalties and skills anew,” Talia adds.
“Thank you, we appreciate it,” Kal inclines his head towards her.
“No need, this mess was caused by my family. We cost you a Hand, for that I am sorry.”
“Well, maybe you would consider taking the place of my current hand, so that he might return home soon,” Kal smiles at her.
Talia, daughter of the demon and of the shadows, gapes at him.
“It was not my idea,” Kal says, looking warmly at Bruce. “But what convinced me were your sons, if I may be so honest,” Kal continues and looks at Jason and Damian with the same warmth.
Slade looks at Jason oddly, probably having felt some off the pleasant tingle that ran through Jason’s body at the King’s look of love and respect and kindness.
“There is something else to tell,” Jason says suddenly, surprising himself. He had wanted to keep it to himself for as long as he could.
“You don’t have to,” Slade reassures him, standing by his side and putting a hand on his arm.
Jason shakes his head and looks at Slade. “The King deserves to know. I’m an outlier, he doesn’t deserve to be caught off guard by this.”
“He already knows what you want to tell,” Kal says, smiling. “But I would appreciate an attempt at an explanation.”
“You do?” Jason is surprised but also unsure if the King is referring to his dragon or his relationship, when Jason is only willing to discuss the former amongst so many people.
“You smell of dragon,” Slade supplies. “And not just mine.”
Bruce perks up at this.
“You took my son to the dragon valley?”, he accuses Slade.
“I did,” Slade smirks.
“You took time to show off?”
“It was worth the time,” Kal appeases, smiling at Jason. “What is the name of your dragon?”
“Bela,” Jason grins back at the King and is sure that he could almost match the brightness of Kal’s smile in this moment.
Bruce pales a bit, while Talia stares at him in wonder and everyone else looks at him in disbelief.
“You are a dragonrider now?”, Talia asks, cupping his cheek tenderly. “Is that what it is? Is that why you seem so… so content?”
“Partly, yes,” Jason replies softly, but doesn’t miss how Bruce has to take measured, deep breaths.
“You can ride a dragon?!”, Jon shouts in disbelief while Damian crosses his arms. “You better teach me how.”
“I don’t know how or why,” Jason chuckles at the boys. “I’m not born in the right House.”
“I have my suspicions,” Kal smiles and his eyes flicker to Slade for a moment. “But regardless, someone in my House must’ve been the first one to ride a dragon as well. Who says new Houses can’t join our ranks?”
“That is so awesome,” Jon whispers from besides Damian.
“Jason…”, Bruce starts but doesn’t continue.
The Queen gets up from the bench. “Let’s go, boys.” She gestures to the two kids and hurries them out of the room. Talia follows her son.
As soon as the door closes, Bruce steps forward and engulfs Jason in a hug. “Jason…”, he repeats and Jason is shocked at the sadness in his tone.
“Father?”, he asks carefully, even though his stomach clenches in worry.
“I always feared you’d be the first to leave my side, my protection, Winterfell, us, me. But I thought I had more time before you tried finding your own way.”
“I-“, Jason chocked up. Suddenly missing his home and Richard and Tim. “I’ll visit. Often. You know how much Winterfell means to me.”
“Yes,” Bruce breathes out. “Yes, I know. But this has happened once before. And the last time it happened, my friend was tasked to bear the weight of the realm and before we knew it, we only saw each other once every summer.”
“I’m no king,” Jason laughs. “It will be Slade and me. And we’ll decide where the winds take us.”
Bruce went rigid. “Slade and you.”
“Yes,” says Jason at the same time as Slade.
“Your dragons are soulmates, I assume,” Kal wonders aloud.
“They are,” Slade confirms, watching Bruce carefully.
“You knew,” Kal simply states. Probably to level the playing field for Bruce, who goes even more rigid as he pushes out of Jason’s arms.
“Did you?”, Bruce growls at Slade. “Is that why you took my son there? Because you knew he would bond with a dragon and that your dragons would never let themselves be parted for long? To get him to stay for whatever fucked up thing you have in mind?”
Slade’s usual relaxed posture is gone, his back is straight and his shoulders squared, with this he can look slightly down at Bruce. “I took him there because Jason deserves the kind of freedom only a dragon could give him,” Slade growls back. “It is inhuman to keep a dragon and their rider apart.”
Kal puts a calming hand on Bruce shoulder. “He says what he believes is true.”
“Of course, I do,” Slade sneers. “I don’t need lies and deceit here. Jason belongs with Bela.”
“Father,” Jason says, with conviction. “I am happy.”
“You are?”, Bruce looks at him with something like hopeful wonder in his eyes.
“Yes,” he nods. “By the gods, I’m a dragonrider. I can go where I want, whenever I want. There’s nothing that binds me down anywhere. Not even Myra, she would let Bela do whatever she wants.”
“Can you be sure? You have not tried this, have you?”, Bruce frowns, a hand laying heavy on Jason’s shoulder.
“I’m sure,” Jason says, gripping Bruce’s arm. “They may not let me go alone, but they will not stop me from going where I want to go and doing what I want to do.”
“Maybe your newfound freedom should be my biggest concern,” Bruce sighs, a crooked smile an his face.
“I haven’t forgotten that I’m not invulnerable,” Jason reassures. “But there are two protective dragons watching over me and a dragonrider who is watching my back at all times.”
Bruce grumbles in Slade’s direction but focuses on Jason again soon. His eyes seem to be looking for something in Jason’s own gaze and when Bruce finds it, he pulls him close and hugs him tight.
“Be careful, tonight,” Bruce murmurs. Then he looks at Slade and speaks to him without raising his voice. “You, too. If you’ve decided to take my son, then at least make yourself useful and keep him safe.”
Slade tilts his head, seems to consider something, and then nods, just once. His expression seems neutral and unfazed at first glance, but Jason can feel the sincerity in him. Jason’s bond with Bela is strong, only slightly weakened by the distance, and through her bond with Myra he gets an impression of what Slade is feeling at all times.
“Let us discuss how we will deal with Lord Cain,” Kal says, after Bruce lets go of Jason and takes a step back.
“Talia will want to do it,” Bruce answers, detaching his gaze from Jason with a deep breath, and begins going through plans in his head.
“Then let us go find her. If we disappear behind closed doors with her all day, Lord Cain might suspect something. For now, she’s just visiting her son… or maybe I should say, sons.” Kal smiles at Jason and walks past Bruce towards the door. Jason doesn’t miss the light touch of Kal’s hand on Bruce’s arm. Bruce gathers himself, almost unnoticeably, and follows Kal to the door.
He turns around once more before he leaves. “How long will you stay?”
“As long as you remain here in King’s Landing and then I will join you on your way back home,” Jason smiles. “After that, I want to see the world.”
“It is worth seeing,” Kal says warmly.
“I would love to argue with that,” Bruce grumbles, but follows Kal outside without doing so.
The door closes and Jason turns to face Slade, relief relaxing his posture significantly.
“That went far better than expected,” Jason says.
“It sure did.” Slade comes over and wraps his arms around Jason. “You really want to stay? It might take months for Bruce Wayne to be satisfied enough with the situation here to travel back home.”
“I’ll stay for as long as it takes. I’ll apologize properly later if there’s somewhere you wanted to take me immediately,” Jason grins.
“Oh, I can think of multiple things,” Slade grins back and leans in to kiss Jason deeply. Jason is so consumed by the kiss, by the moment, by Slade that he doesn’t immediately react when the door opens.
“Are you still here, Fa-?” Jason’s head whips around to the half-opened door. “Kane!”, Damian growls. He looks outraged as he stomps over to them and tries to push Slade off Jason. “Your lessons for me were a farce to seduce my brother! I should have known better.”
Jason’s first instinct is to laugh, but Slade doesn’t deny it. He raises an eyebrow at him.
“I usually know what I want fairly early,” Slade shrugs, ignoring Damian trying to get between them while he’s still holding Jason. Jason is distracted by his words and tries to figure out what Slade saw in him, when he was still mostly staring at dragons, until Damian redirects his efforts into pulling Jason away, instead of pushing Slade who proves to be immovable.
“Dami,” Jason scolds, but ruffles his little brother’s hair in the same breath. “Dami, that’s enough. I’m where I want to be.”
“Surely, that is a jest, brother,” Damian huffs. “Do you even know how old some of the stories Kane has firsthand knowledge of are?”
“I can imagine,” Jason chuckles and Damian lets go of the effort to separate them and crosses his arms in disapproval instead.
“I will outlive you, boy,” Slade says grimly.
For one moment, Jason is glad and hopes it will be so. Then, guilt follows.
They both see it. Damian is surprised and seems to understand the extent of Jason’s feeling for the first time. Slade just smiles at him with sadness and grief hidden deep in his eyes.
“I see,” Damian says and resigns himself to this new reality. “Do you know where Father has gone?”
“To find Talia and discuss what they will do now,” Jason informs him.
“I will go find him.” Damian turns to leave, but not before he levels another glare at Slade. “And I will be watching you.”
Slade isn’t fazed by it in the slightest and Jason doesn’t want or need him to be, but he appreciates Damian all the more for saying it.
He says as much, when he finally strips out of his riding clothes once they’re alone in his room.
“He can keep doing it,” Slade smiles. “I, too, am glad that your family cares about you so much.”
Jason reaches for Slade’s hand and squeezes it once. “Good. Because you’ll have to put up with them often.”
Slade raises their hands and kisses the back of Jason’s hand. “How would you feel about a spar in the courtyard?”
“What are we waiting for?”, Jason grins and drags Slade out of the room where he lets their hands fall apart. As much as he’s looking forward to this, they’re not free to do whatever they want, wherever they want, and this is just as much about keeping an eye on the situation in the castle as it is about training and themselves.
They rile each other up as much as they possibly can with their swords and knives and moves and countermoves and words without falling to the ground in a tight embrace in the middle of the courtyard. When the time for dinner comes, they’re eat quickly, only taking a longer moment to receive news from Talia. Lord Cain has passed. From a weak heart, she tells them.
This expected turn of events doesn’t dampen Jason’s fire in the slightest. Slade separates from him in the corridors, for propriety’s sake, but slides through the secret door a moment after Jason closes the door to his own quarters.
They cross the distance between them in large strides and let their bodies clash into each other. Jason’s mouth is on Slade’s before he fully has his arms around him. His fingers slide into the soft white hair at Slade’s nape and in turn Slade’s fingers sent shiver down his side where he’s touching Jason.
“We should- pretend to sleep- soon-,” Slade says against his mouth. “Tonight will see many assassination attempts.”
“On me?”, Jason gasps breathlessly against him and buries his head into Slade’s neck to let him speak while he busies himself with kissing down his throat.
“Yes. Cain is dead. The news of Ra’s death will have reached the city. There is a power vacuum and Talia will wait and let those who foolishly try to fill it, let them try and break from it. Mhhh, Jason.” His voice drops as Jason sneaks his fingers under Slade’s clothes.
“And once they’ve failed, she’ll step up,” Jason finishes his thought.
Slade plants a kiss on his temple. “Yes.”
“And my death will send my father home, to bury me under snow where I belong,” Jason says and holds onto Slade a little tighter.
Slade growls and does the same.
Jason lets his hands wander again. “Well, let us do this quickly then. Then we’ll be bait for the night.”
“I’ll reward you properly after that,” Slade grins and kisses Jason again.
Jason falls into bed gladly and pulls Slade down after him. With all the tension that’s been building up over the day, Jason wouldn’t have lasted long anyway. And Slade is right there with him.
Unlike their usual routine, they get back up and get dressed again, in just a single layer of clothes, just to fight comfortably in, and they take long knives and daggers to bed with them. Their swords are too big to be handy in these rooms.
They lie close together, watching and touching each other longingly as they wait. Jason knows Slade will hear them first, but he remains as vigilant as ever.
It’s the darkest hour of the night when Slade finally gives him the sign.
Slade frowns. “There are more than expected. I think they’re all coming at once,” he whispers.
A moment later assassins are bursting through the door and Jason’s lets the first couple daggers fly towards them.
“Go check on Dami!”, Jason shouts when he sees only five people entering his room but far more assassins rushing past, further down the corridor where his brother and father are probably not sleeping.
“Be careful,” Slade says, and stabs the assassin in the throat who makes the mistake of coming within Slade’s reach as he runs out of the room.
Jason’s not worried about four opponents, not even if they’re League assassins, not after all at he’s learned from Slade. Two of them finally go down with daggers in their throats as Jason draws his long blades, but suddenly there are more assassins streaming in his room. Enough that things might get complicated.
He works up a good sweat, defending against all the slashes, stabs and thrown weapons that try to take his life. Slowly he kills or chases away one assassin after the other. Only the most stubborn ones that hardest to kill remain when one of their knives nicks Jason’s chest. Jason hears an animalistic growl that sends chills across his skin and watches the assassin’s head fall off his shoulders, revealing Slade behind him.
Slade grabs the headless man and throws him past himself out of the door. The two assassins who are left standing have no chance and end up dead in the corridor as well, while Jason just watches until the door is closed.
“Is it done?”, he has the sense to ask, without really understanding why in the heat of the moment. He just remembers it’s important for some reason.
“Yes,” Slade says, looking at him in a particular way. With hunger and protectiveness.
Jason rushes towards him, he has to be careful to step over corpses at his speed and jumps into Slade’s arms who catches him but stumbles against the door with Jason’s weight barrelling into him. That won’t do because Jason needs to get his legs and arms around the man immediately. He wriggles against Slade and Jason is sure he would chuckle at Jason’s desperate need if he didn’t feel exactly the same thing.
They’re almost at the bed when Jason sets his feet down and pushes Slade over into the bedding first. Now, he can climb on top of him and devour him completely.
Slade is proven correct in his theory when they remain undisturbed for the rest of the night. In the morning, the corpses in the corridor are already gone and, after a long breakfast, Jason returns to a clean room free of bodies.
Talia enlists Slade’s and Jason’s help in taking over the League. They won’t remain involved, but they have experience and it’s a good way to spend time for a while. And Jason is glad for the opportunity of getting to know Cassandra and Stephanie.
As Jason promised, Slade and he stay until his father and the King are satisfied with the newfound stability in King’s Landing. Kal can’t convince Bruce to stay longer and just enjoy a few days free of duties and the day comes when Bruce and Damian begin the journey home.
Jason can’t bring himself to feel sad, despite the heavy mood of good friends separating for long and unknown periods of time. His new loves will go wherever he goes, as he will go wherever they go, and he’ll see home again after a long time. Then he will begin, with Slade at his side, his new life as a dragonrider. King’s Landing, Winterfell, his family, his freedom and his love are all within reach, closer than he ever thought possible.