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[The weight of Bruce’s silence is not missed. Jason assumes it’s because of his admission of stealing and for a moment Jason hangs his head. He nods at the thanks but he doesn’t miss the way it feels like a consolation than true acceptance of Jason’s crime.

He shuffles behind him for the last box. He holds it tight in his hands knuckles white on his right hand before he offers it up. Inside is a collection of various candies and some Christmas movies. On top is It’s a Wonderful Life.]

Merry Christmas, Bruce.

( setting this gift aside to be able to take the next one handed over, as before, care is taken in the way he opens the gift and, upon seeing what it is, he falls silent once more, mostly because of the movie there on top. he wonders if it's a running similarity across alternate versions of himself. makes him curious but also not at the same time. it's a complicated feeling.

still, he offers jason a tiny smile when he looks up to him from the gift. )

Thank you, Jason.

( voice soft but genuine, he glances over to the tree then, still holding his gift. )

There's a box there for you.

( and within it, beneath the dark coloured paper and lined up neatly in the rather large trunk of a box, many many books that he had brought back with him from that other earth. from classics, to poetry, to horror, to fantasy. there's a little bit of everything in there for jason. )

Sorry about the movie. It was the only Christmasy one left. [Jason feels even worse now that he remembers what the movie is about.] I can go get a different one.

[Bruce indicates a package for him and Jason hesitates. He's probably fucked up the whole Christmas spirit with admitting to being a criminal and giving Bruce a movie about wondering if life is worth living. Great job, Jason. He bites his lip, wondering if he deserves this gift, but reaches out for it with shaking fingers.]

Seriously, I can run down to the mart and get a different movie right now.

[He still tugs the wrapped package into his lap, but looks up at Bruce.]

It's ok.

( voice soft, gently reassuring, he shakes his head and sits there in an armchair as he watches jason begin to open his own gift. a glance to the christmas tree for a moment, he looks back to the kid. )

I'm not sure how many you already know, but. I thought it would give you something to do between missions.

[Jason frowns until he turns back to the package and the first spines are visible from beneath the paper.]

No way. [He hurries to tear the rest of the paper off.] Holy shit, is this all for me?

[He runs his fingers over the titles and he can't help but grin as he holds up a handful of the books.]

I love Pride and Prejudice.

( the smile he wears is still soft and he nods at the question. )

Who else would they be for?

( before he can even think to answer that, though, he glances over to the tree again and gives a nod. )

That, too.

( the nod given to, from a distance, may look like an ornament hanging on a branch, but. in fact, is a key to a vehicle. a motorcycle, more specifically. the charm the key dangles from being a black and red twisted sort of pretzel looking thing. )

[Jason continues to rifle through the titles, occasionally exclaiming the titles like "Dracula!" until Bruce mentions one more gift. The gift in his hands seems more than enough until he sees the key. His heart stops in his chest as he surges forward to pluck the key off the tree.]

Wait, is this...? [He looks back up at Bruce. Is this his bike? The Kawasaki Z H2 in all black?]

( still with his last gift there in hand, he looks down to it for a moment before he's looking back over to jason. )

I put it together the best I could. ( spent months looking for parts in the junkyard and building the bike up from scratch, much as he'd done his batmobile. ) Gave it a few test drives. Didn't fall off, so you don't need to worry.

( a bit of dry humor there. )

She rides smooth. Should be easy to get through places when you need to.

This is fucking awesome!

[Jason is oh so tempted to go for a ride right now, but he's got all these books and Bruce, too.]

Promise not to ride it in the tower.

[He holds up his fingers in a distant version of a scout's honor.]

Holy fuck, Bruce. This is the best Christmas I think I've ever had.

[Far out-doing any experience with his own Bruce.]

Mine was always out of town. In Milan or something.

( jason's genuine enthusiasm for the gift— for both of the gifts causes that tiny smile to pull into something just a touch more wider albeit fleeting before he's looking back down to his own gift. it's... nice, he thinks. to see jason so happy. he gets the feeling there's been so little for him to ever be truly and genuinely happy about, so. to give him that feeling — to allow him to indulge in things he likes and has a passion or desire for... it's the least he can do, isn't it? also, it's christmas. maybe he didn't do too bad with this after all. )

Guess Etraya will have to do this year.

( since, well. not really anywhere else to go for it. )

Merry Christmas, Jason.

I didn't think I'd say this half a year ago, but I'm okay with being here. It's better than home.

[His grin is huge as he looks up at Bruce.]

Sorry about the movie.

( again, he shakes his head. )

It's fine.

( despite how soft his voice is, his tone is genuine even as he falls quiet while staring to the film. )

[Bruce doesn't sound fine, so Jason stands up and crosses over to where Bruce is sitting. He reaches down for the movie.]

I'm gonna get a different movie. [And on his new bike!]

( before jason can take the movie from him, fingers grip onto his gift and he just says it. )

Selina's here.

( and then his gaze drops and he's quiet again. )

[Jason frowns, processing the information before he swallows.]

Okay. Does... Does that change anything?

[He remembers Damian, how it broke Bruce when he came back. Jason's heart chokes him in his throat as he hopes that nothing will change. That they can continue living just like this.]

She's not the Selina I know.

( not from his gotham, he means. )

She's from his. All of theirs.

( the belfry, he means. glancing down, he's still quiet for a moment before he's looking off some. )

I just thought you should know. In case you come across her somewhere.

[Oh. Jason hates himself for the movie choice even more. He tries again to grab it from Bruce. What a fucking terrible movie to give Bruce.

Fuck.]

( he would never admit this to anyone, especially to jason, but. the past almost two years now that he's been here, he's... lonely. to be the only one from his gotham to have ever shown up... it makes him wonder if he's to go it alone. not even alfred here; he misses him. jason's in the same boat even if there had been a dick grayson from his gotham here before his arrival, but. he knows what it means to be the only one here from your world. maybe it's part of why they stick together as well. sharing that as well as bruce seeing himself in the kid.

a shake of his head, he pulls the movie back towards him. )

I'm not upset about it, Jason. I've seen this a number of times. I usually watch it during the holidays.

( is that slightly morbid of him? well. that's bruce wayne for you. )

[Yeah, Jason's going to be even more insistent now because that's kinda fucked, Bruce. He gets his fingers on the case and tries to pull as hard as possible.]

Not letting you fucking watch this after what you just said.

We can watch something else.

( it's not that serious, jason. your dad is just... gloomy. that's batman for you. )

[Gloomy dad or not, Jason feels like he just made it worse.]

I'm serious, Bruce.

[He huffs.]

You haven't been feeling like the guy in the movie, have you?

That my life is wonderful?

( dry humor. very bruce. )

[Jason's frown becomes more irritated than before. He's serious about making sure Bruce is okay.]

The bridge part.

( he figured. )

No. I don't feel that way.

( batman has to keep going. because no one else will for gotham. )

You promise? [Jason needs the reaffirmation that Bruce isn't about to re-enact a movie.] I've been there before. I know how it feels.

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references to a suicide attempt in a movie.

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