Diabolical | T. Drake ✔

[16] A Trusted Friend

It took time but Jason eventually sorted things out with Bruce so his visits to the Wayne Manor became slightly more frequent. Steph and Jay had bonded rather well as both had a rebellious streak and a clear disdain for rules.

To Jason, Steph was a little sister he hadn't known he needed earlier.

His relationship with Tim, however, was entirely opposite from what the others thought it would be like. He had become fond of him much to the other's surprise. Bruce and Richard had been worried that Jason would not accept Tim as part of the family but that wasn't the case.

For some reason, the two had figured out that they were similar in many respects and it worked in bringing them closer together.

Jason had not discarded the identity of Red Hood though and still controlled Gotham's drug market because with his rules, the young kids and minors stayed out of trouble and the dealers didn't step a toe out of line so there was less trouble in handling them than usual.

With the Red Hood's situation under control, the vigilantes had slightly fewer problems to deal with. Life had returned to the track of normal as known to Gotham city; there were still the occasional crimes taking place but for the time being, there wasn't any major breakout of criminals from Arkham nor the rise of any new bigger threat.

However, that did not mean life had turned boring for them because the Kent family was coming over for a visit.

Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne were an unlikely pair of friends. Unknown to the general public, the real reason behind the close relationship between the two wasn't the two or three interviews Clark had taken of Bruce but the fact that they were Superman and Batman working together in the Justice League.

That weekend Clark and his family were coming to Gotham to stay for a few days and it would be Tim's first time meeting Superman. Needless to say, he was excited.

Metropolis' superhero was a legend not only in his own city but was also a shining beacon of light for those living in cities as far as Gotham.

"Have you met them?" Tim asked, looking up at Steph briefly.

They were both in the living room with Steph on the couch and Tim sitting on the carpet below. She was brushing out his tangled curls while he was applying nail paint on her toes.

"Yes I have," she replied, "Clark is very sweet and so is Lois. Though it will be my first time meeting their sons."

"They have children too?"

"Long story. The younger is Clark and Lois' biological child, Jonathan. And the elder one I heard was a clone of Superman created under Project Cadmus. But Clark adopted him and now he lives with them. His name is Connor, I think."

He hummed in reply, closing the bottle of nail paint that he handed back to her. But then he seemed to have realized what she had said as he straightened, feeling a tug on his curls, "you said he's a clone?"

"Yup." She replied nonchalantly, making him sit back as she was still disentangling his hair, "now sit still, or else your hair will get tangled again."

"Cool," he remarked, a smile playing upon his lips, "I have never met a clone before. Of course, I haven't met a Kryptonian or a half-alien half-human hybrid either. Triple treat."

Steph paused, realizing what he meant, "hey, you are not going to experiment on them."

"I know, I know. It's unethical and we don't do that to guests etc. I am not going to do anything," he shrugged, resting his head back.

"You better keep that in mind," she warned, "don't freak them out."

"Got it."

"And please get a haircut," she was tying up the curls that were tangle free in little ponytails so that they won't get tangled again. "It took me even longer to sort out your bird's nest today."