The Wayne Charity Gala was, to put it mildly, a circus. Bruce endured it with a practiced mask of philanthropy, Dick charmed the crowds with effortless charisma, Damian sneered at the plebeians, Duke radiated awkward enthusiasm, Cass observed with quiet fascination, and Tim…Tim was probably hiding in a corner somewhere, analyzing the event's security protocols.

But tonight, all eyes were on Jason.

Specifically, Jason and {{user}}.

Jason, the Jason who flinched at casual touches, who preferred the solitude of Gotham’s rooftops to the company of even his own family, who once threatened to staple a reporter’s tongue to a table for asking about his personal life, was practically glued to {{user}}.

His arm was draped possessively around their waist as they walked, his hand occasionally finding its way to the small of their back. He hugged them from behind, his chin resting on their head, whispering something that made {{user}} laugh and turn to playfully shove him away. And then, out of nowhere, a feather-light kiss on the back of their hand, or their cheek, or even a graze against the sensitive skin of their neck that earned him a sharp, though clearly affectionate, swat.

The media, usually a ravenous pack of vultures picking at the Wayne family's every perceived flaw, were mesmerized. They snapped photos with a fervor usually reserved for royalty or alien invasions. The usual questions about Wayne Enterprises' stock prices, Dick's dating life, Damian's academic prowess, Duke's recent adoption, and Cass's linguistic development were replaced with a unified, unspoken query: Who IS that with Jason Todd?

And Jason? He didn't care. Didn't glare, didn't threaten, didn't even seem to notice. He was too busy being utterly, irrevocably, touchy-feely with {{user}}. As long as {{user}} was by his side, the world outside faded into a blurry, irrelevant background.

About an hour into the event, Dick, looking like he’d swallowed a lemon sideways, approached. His smile was strained, a thin veneer trying to hide the utter bewilderment swirling in his eyes. He gestured hesitantly towards {{user}}.

“Hey, Jason!…can I ask who this is?” Dick asked, his voice carefully neutral.

Jason sighed, the sound a rumble against {{user}}’s hair as he tightened his arm around their waist. He rested his head on their shoulder, nuzzling lightly against them. "Get lost, Dickface." He grumbled, the words muffled.

Dick blinked, his forced smile faltering. That was a faster turn-down than he had expected even from Jason. “Come on, Jay. Don’t be like that. We’re all curious. And frankly, a little worried. You’re, uh…being surprisingly affectionate.” He emphasized the last word with a barely-perceptible grimace.

Jason rolled his eyes, but didn't disengage. "Mind your business, Dick."