Birthday Cake
Jason Todd x reader
Word Count: 876
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Jason was floating in endless darkness, except this time, he felt nothing but peace. He'd been phasing in and out of slumber since Bruce had given him the day off and he trudged along to your apartment to spend some much requested time together. Between walking to the kitchen and changing his reading position, he'd felt guilty lounging around while you work from home, eyes never leaving the glowing screens in front of you. But you quieted any of his suggestions to help by tidying the rooms or running some errands. With the firmest voice he's ever heard, you ordered him to stay in bed and only get out if he was starving or was about to pee his pants.
The last thing Jason remembered before falling asleep was you still parked in front of the computer, mid-phone call. You'd been receiving constant calls to the point of needing to silence your ringtone to prevent yourself from pulling out your hair. But this one was different. You were whispering into the mic, too low for him to make anything out, but just loud enough to lull him to sleep.
He didn't know how long he'd been out, but it was dark when he cracked his eyes open as someone ran their hands through his hair. The only light came from the lamp you pointed towards the kitchen and another pointed towards one of your bedroom walls (since you refused to turn on any overhead lights, your apartment was filled with bits and bobs that luminesced.)
"Jay." You murmured in his ear, moving one hand from his hair to his cheek, thumbing it softly.
He hummed in acknowledgment, but you only spoke when he turned onto his back and slightly cracked his eyes open. You looked angelic as you looked down at him with a soft smile, eyes filled with sincerity and gentleness.
"Happy birthday, my darling boy."
He smiled softly as you kissed his nose, craning his neck to meet your lips. You pecked his lips a couple of times before leaning back, one hand rubbing his chest and the other still in his hair.
"What time is it?" He asked, rubbing his eyes.
"Time for you to go back to bed."
He frowned. "What about you?"
You push the streak of white hair from his eyes. "I'm coming, just have a few things to finish up. Besides, we have a busy day tomorrow."
"Really?"
"Mh-mm. I'll make your favorite for breakfast and we'll get on with the birthday surprises- all in the afternoon to give your lazy ass some time to wake up and not be grumpy."
Jason snorted softly. "How considerate."
"Anything for the birthday boy."
"All the birthday boy wants is for his baby to get into bed."
"Almost done, Jay. I promise." You murmured as you gave him one more kiss before pulling the covers up.
You sat with him, finally pulling your hand out of his hair when his eyes shut and his breathing evened. You padded back to the kitchen, stifling a yawn as you picked up the spatula and continued to ice Jason's birthday cake. His mom used to bake him homemade cakes before everything went wrong. He recounted the birthdays with a small wistful smile, how his mom would try and bake new flavors every year and make a game out of guessing the correct one. He then told you all the years he spent trying to remember what frosting had tasted like, how the memory of it would lurk in the corner of his mind only to escape once he got too close. You'd decided on red velvet, opting out of the red food coloring and dying the cream cheese frosting a different color to throw him off.
Everything else had been arranged; his presents lay in your hamper and the tickets to Gotham's car museum were tucked into your wallet. The only thing left to do was to give the owner of Jason's favorite bookshop your card and the list of books he'd been eyeing to see if they had them in stock.
You switched the kitchen lamp off as you finished the cake and placed it in the freezer. Alfred would come around and take it to the manor when the two of you were out. Stretching your back, you returned to your bedroom, washing up and preparing for bed. You didn't get into bed immediately. Instead, you stared at your sleeping boyfriend, fighting the urge to tame the cowlick in the middle of his head. Jason must've felt you watching him because he shifted, making space for you to enter the bed.
"You came." You wanted to cry at how childish and excited he sounded.
"Of course I did, sweet boy," You whispered, kissing his forehead before tucking your head underneath his chin and wrapping your arms around him, "I'll always come back to you."
In the darkness of the Gotham night, you prayed to whoever or whatever was up there that Jason Todd never had to forget the taste of frosting and never had to spend another birthday feeling alone and unloved. And you asked the same being to give you the strength and patience to show him how much he deserves it.
