"Huh?" Jason raised an eyebrow. "Why should I be backup? Wouldn't I be more reliable on the front lines than those little brats?"
Dick patted his shoulder. "Quit acting tough. Backup is a crucial position. Nobody handles unexpected situations better than Red Hood."
Jason was only being abrasive. Given an opening to back down, he said nothing more and flipped to the emergency contacts page, silently memorizing everyone's encrypted channels.
Dick turned to Bruce, his tone growing serious. "The plan is thorough. We can start tonight. Your job is to stay home and recover, and hopefully make up for some of the damage. I don't want to see a news report one day about the great Batman taking a tumble because an old injury flared up and letting a criminal get away."
Bruce closed the folder, tapping his fingertips lightly against the table as his steel-blue eyes swept over each of his children. "On one condition: no patrol lasts more than four hours, and you check in with the Batcave every hour."
He looked at Jason, his gaze carrying an unquestionable seriousness. "Especially you, Jason. If you run into danger, you're absolutely not to try to tough it out."
After a pause, Bruce added, still rather unused to saying such things, "Ahem. Alfred's getting older. Don't make him worry."
Jason swallowed the retort he'd been about to make and turned his head away awkwardly, a faint flush creeping up around his ears.
"Got it. Stop nagging."
Without the usual venom, Bruce looked at Jason in mild surprise. Naturally, that faint blush didn't escape Batman's eyes.
A hint of amusement crept into Bruce's gaze, perhaps accompanied by a little regret-
He'd always known Jason was stubborn, but he'd never imagined that even such an ordinary remark could move him. Alfred was