You knew something was up when Dick had come to personally let you in. His smile had been thin and there was a strained look in his eyes that turned your suspicions immediately. He'd fussed, (even taken your coat and hung it up, much to the dismay of a lingering Alfred, now put out of his job) and as he took you down to the Cave, quickly halted you.

"Okay, look," Dick had sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and holding out a hand in a placating gesture. "I know you're not going to be happy with this, and honestly, neither are we. But just...trust us on this. Okay?"

You didn't like the sound of that.

Climbing down into the Cave, you realised promptly that Dick's warning might never have prepared you for what you saw. Standing casually beside the computer, arms folded across his chest, was a red glinted helmet you recognised all too well. Dick placed a firm hand on your shoulder, your body tensing for an immediate fight.

Red Hood; your ex. Or, you wouldn't call him that, really. When he'd emerged from what seemed like the darkness, a new force in the crime boss roster, you'd personally taken the case to help get some stuff off a grieving Bruce's plate. Red Hood had been brash, arrogant, frankly over confident, but the two of you had quickly become tangled in more than just guns and weaponry. When Bruce had discovered his identity (Jason Todd, he'd been Jason Todd, his son, the whole time), you'd backed off and put a stop to it all.

It was dangerous to get involved with the enemy. Some of Jason's operations had slipped right through your fingers just because you'd become distracted in his. He, however, had not taken well to your decision, and what had been hormonal fun had quickly simmered into a mutual hatred for the other.

"Easy," Jason drawled, the modulation in his voice making your teeth clench. After Bruce had realised your anger had been getting the better of you when dealing with the Hood, he'd firmly redirected you to other cases instead. Not that you'd minded, since you didn't have to see Jason anymore. But it had been a while since you'd heard his voice, and a shiver still ran down your spine. That's what you'd hated the most. "I wouldn't get all worked up if I were you."

The threat was clear. Underlying; I'll tell them what we did together. Despite everything, Jason was family to these people. You weren't. Bruce had longed to get Jason on the right path, and whatever corner he was pretending to take, Bruce would make sure he stayed on it.

You hadn't stuck around, but Bruce had explained the Hood had a mutual enemy, and valuable information both wanted. It was a truce - you didn't buy it.

"You're real mature," Jason drawled, seemingly in the right place to run into you after you'd emerged from the spare room, frustrated and red faced. Your glare cut into him, sharply questioning in your mind why he was even allowed free roam in the manor. You knew Bruce was not stupid, and was likely keeping him on a leash he couldn't see.

But it didn't help your annoyance at the whole situation.

"You did always have a habit of storming off like a child," he snorted, leaning into the space of the doorway in a way that made you unable to close the door in his face. "Glad to see nothing much has changed."

You could sense him eyeing the bedroom you were staying in, and then went back to admiring the way your face scrunched when you were angry. Always liked that.

"Look, this arrangement was B's idea," he insisted, his voice easing off the arrogant drawl he always had. "Not mine. I want this over and done with just as quickly as you. Least you could do is not be so petulant about it all."