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1- DAMIAN
“Todd? Todd, wake up.”
Jason couldn’t really understand what was happening.
He was cold, and his whole body felt too heavy for him. But Damian’s voice seemed terrified.
When was the last time he saw his younger brother so terrified?
The vigilante couldn’t really understand what was happening. Why was Damian screaming? And why was he so fucking cold ?
“Todd, wake up at this instant.” Damian’s order was shaky as if he was trying to compose himself.
Jason finally opened his eyes and Damian’s face above him broke into a small smile.
“I thought you were dead again. What a shame.”
“Very funny, brat.” groaned the older as he was finally getting sensations back in his body. He realized immediately that he was wet as if he had been thrown in the fucking sea.
“What the fuck happened?” he slurred as he was trying to get up, but Damian pushed him back.
“You tried to push me out of the way when a car just pushed you in the water. I could get you out, but you swallowed quite a lot of water. We should take you back to the Cave to check if you have pneumonia or hypothermia. Just… stay awake until Father arrives.”
Jason wanted to answer, saying that he didn’t need to go to the Cave and that he didn’t want to go to the Cave. But he was suddenly feeling very weak and cold and he just closed his eyes, praying for Damian to be able to read in his mind.
But when he regained consciousness, he was in what seems like the Manor, in the guest room that was now his room every time he was staying for the night.
At least it’s not the Cave. Jason hated the Cave more than he hated the Manor.
The Cave was cold and empty, while his room was warm, comfy, and he could feel that the heater was on.
“What don’t you understand in ‘stay awake’, Todd?”
Jason turned slightly his face to see his younger brother sitting next to his bed, with a drawing on his legs as if he was occupying himself as he was waiting for Jason to wake up.
“Pennyworth told me you’re fine. Just need to get warm and drink a lot of hot tea.”
“Did you get me out of the water on your own, Little D? Didn’t know you had so much strength in such a small body.”
“Keep laughing and I’ll let you drown next time.”
Jason smiled and finally whispered: “Thank you for saving me, I guess…”
Damian nodded before admitting: “You’re the one who saved me first, so I should thank you too.”
“Yes, you should.”
“... thanks for saving me, Todd.”
Jason grinned and made room on his bed to invite his brother to join him.
“Wanna watch Die Hard with me?”
Damian seemed to hesitate for a second before joining Jason in the bed, keeping him warm as the older man started dozing off again in front of the movie.
2- TIM
“Let... sleep… he… exhausted…”
Jason had to focus to understand what the voices around him were saying. He couldn’t tell if he was awake or not, his conscience was swimming and his body was too heavy to try to move. He tried to open his mouth but couldn’t, letting a whine leave his parted lips.
He was easily shushed: “Sleep… Jason… need… sleep…”
He decided to listen to the voice and fell back asleep.
When he regained consciousness, he felt definitely better. His eyelids were not as heavy as before and he could finally open his eyes. He was actually really surprised to see Tim by his side. He was taping something on his laptop next to him and smiled when he saw his brother awake.
“Do you remember what happened?”
Jason tried to remember but he felt as if his head was full of cotton. He shook his head, letting Tim the privilege to explain to him.
“You passed out during a patrol. Bruce freaked out and took you home in like… two minutes. Turn out you’re were just fucking exhausted and your body shut down on its own. Alfred is mad . He convinced Bruce to bench you for at least a week and to keep you in the manor for two.”
Jason groaned and realized that he was indeed in the manor. He wasn’t in his old bedroom but in the guest room, which he’s using every time he visits his family.
“Watta you doin’?” he rasped. His throat was dry and he couldn’t really formulate a sentence correctly. Tim noticed it because he took a glass of water from the nightstand and handed it to his brother.
“I’m working. There was an explosion near the harbor this morning and Bruce wants me to investigate.”
“This morning… Wait, how long did I stay asleep?”
Tim checked his watch before answering: “Almost sixteen hours. You truly needed sleep. Oh, also, Alfred is about to lecture you when he’ll come back, so be prepared.”
Jason closed his eyes again.
“It’s too early for this shit.”
“It’s like 3:00 PM, Jason.”
“Shut up.”
Alfred did lecture him for fifteen long minutes. Probably the longest minutes of Jason’s life.
But after that, the old butler kissed his forehead and brought him hot cocoa and books to read and Jason immediately felt better. Tim stayed with him the whole time even when Jason threatened to tell Alfred about his coffee consumption.
“I’m supervising your rest, Jason. And you’re not getting out of this bed until Alfred allowed you to.”
“And what if the manor burned down and I’m stuck in this bed? I’m going to die. Again . And it will be your fault, Timbers.”
Tim rolled his eyes: “Don’t worry, man. I’ll just throw the bed out the window. Now go back to sleep or I’m calling Alfred.”
“Using our old, loyal butler as a threat, Timbo. That’s so rude of you. After everything he did for you, being used that way? I should tell him… no, I should tell him and ask him to punish you by suppressing coffee from this house.”
Tim didn’t even try to act scared, he only chuckled and answered: “Go back to sleep, big guy.”
3- DICK
Jason wasn’t expecting to wake up feeling so warm and comfortable. He wasn’t expecting either waking up in his older brother’s arms.
Dick was holding him tightly against his chest as if he was scared the younger would run away when he woke up.
“Dickhead?” he wanted to ask but realized quickly that his throat hurts like a bitch. He could hear Dick shushing him softly: “Don’t try to speak, Little Wing, your throat is injured. Not badly thankfully, you’ve been taken to the med bay in time, but you still should stay quiet for a few hours for now.”
Jason groaned: He wanted to speak: he wanted to ask what happened because he couldn’t remember shit.
He tried to ask his brother by punching him softly on the chest, but Dick seemed to understand the message.
“We were helping Tim with fighting Ra’s Al Ghul when he started to chock you and asked us to stay back if we wanted you to live, while he was trying to escape.
But Bruce and Damian found us in time and took care of him as we were helping you to the Cave. Your throat was pretty bad, very purple and Steph almost thought it will never disappear but you get better in a few hours and now you’re almost healed. Just need some rest.”
Jason nodded and realized that there weren’t many things he could do except maybe falling back asleep in his brother’s embrace.
“Just rest, Little Wing. I’ll protect you. I don’t think Alfred would be happy to know that you stayed awake even though you’re injured just because you like my hugs too much.
“I don’t like your hugs, let me go you freak.” wanted to answer Jason, but he couldn’t say anything, so he just rolled his eyes, curled up into his brother’s frame, and closed his eyes.
“I’ll tell Bruce that you woke up when he’ll come back. He was worried sick about you, you know?”
Of course, Bruce was worried. Since Jason return, Bruce was even more than overprotective. Bruce was the fucking Italian Mafia to himself.
Jason smiled to himself. He would never admit it, but he loved knowing that he was protected, knowing that he was safe and sound and that his dad and brothers were taking care of him. And that finally, he could let go, stop worrying about everything, and just accord himself a long night of rest.
Dick started to pet his hair slowly while humming a song the younger couldn’t recognize.
“Just sleep, big guy. I’ll wake you up if anything happens.”
Jason mumbled his approval and let the small song lulled him to sleep.
A part of him was scared that he would wake up alone, but he also knew that his brother would never leave him alone after being hurt, especially not alone in the Cave, knowing that Jason was really claustrophobic and that he didn’t like the place that much.
“You’re okay, Jay. I’m taking care of you, I promise.”
4- ALFRED
Jason couldn’t understand what was happening. Everything hurts, he was feeling hot and cold at the same time. He could feel a cold drag on his forehead and someone shushing him. Jason was scared, he couldn’t move, he couldn’t speak nor fight. If he was in danger, he couldn’t do anything about it. He hoped his family would find him, but he knew he was their last priority
“Quiet, dear boy, you’re fine. I’ve got you.”
Alfred. That was Alfred. If Alfred was there, then everything was fine.
But why did Alfred tell him to stay quiet?
“I know, my boy. I know.” was saying Alfred again.
Know what ?
It took him way too long to understand that he was babbling incoherently and Alfred was just trying to calm him down. He felt a prick in his left wrist before being surrounded by darkness again.
When he regained consciousness he was cold. He was feeling so fucking cold it hurts. Or maybe he was feeling cold and his whole body hurt.
“Al,” he whined, “Al, ‘m cold.”
He needed to know that Alfred was there with him, he needed to know that someone was taking care of him, and Alfred always took care of him.
“I know, dear boy, but it’s just the fever. You have a bad infection because you tried to hide your injuries.” Jason could feel that the anger in the butler's voice was mostly caused by the worry.
“D’dn’t… d’dn’t wan’ to w’rry you.” he mumbled and he could feel Alfred rolling his eyes. “Mission failed, Master Jason.”
“... ‘m s’rry Al, w’ll you ever fo’g’ve me?”
“I might forgive you if you go back to sleep and that you let me take care of you until you’re fully healed, my boy. No more secret injuries, no more leaving the house when you’re not in shape to go on patrol. Am I clear?”
“...’m s’rry…” whined Jason again. He was feeling so ashamed and so cold and everything hurt . The last thing he ever wanted was to disappoint the old butler.
“Shhhh… It’s alright, dear boy, you’re alright. You need to stop worrying me so much, you’re giving me grey hair.”
Alfred took Jason’s hand in his own and with his other one, he brushed softly the black locks. Jason could see a coffee cup on the nightstand, he knew Alfred didn’t like coffee very much and understood quickly that he drank some just to stay awake for the younger. Jason suddenly felt a burst of affection towards the old man, who had always been there for him, even though Jason was reckless.
“L’ve you, Alfie.”
“I love you too. Now sleep, you should feel better once you’re rested enough.”
“W’ll you--
“Yes, I will be there when you’ll wake up.” answered the old man without even waiting for Jason to finish his question.
Of course, Alfred had always been there for Jason, always reminding him that he was loved and that the manor would always be his home.
5- BRUCE
He was feeling very hot. That’s the first thing Jason noticed when he woke up. He felt the wind blowing on his face and that his t-shirt was taken off. For a second, he panicked, but then he felt the cold wind on his burning torso and sighed.
He could hear someone next to him asking for more water and cold towels, but it was hard to focus.
He might have fallen back asleep because the next thing he felt was something really cold on his belly and he jerked awake.
“Stay down, Jason. You fainted after staying too much in the sun, we think you might have a heat stroke. How are you feeling?”
“Burning… ‘nd thirsty.” he rasped. It just took a second for a bottle of water to be pushed on his lips and someone helping him to drink.
“Can you open your eyes for me, Jay?”
It was Bruce’s voice, he finally realized. He tried to lift his eyelids, encouraged by his father, and saw Bruce’s worried face above him: “That’s it, Jaybaby. You’re doing great just stay awake and try not to move too much, alright?”
Bruce while trying to cool him down with wet towels and cold packs, he explained that Jason passed out as they were reading in the yard. It had been really hot and sunny the whole day, and the younger boy didn’t really pay attention to the weather, absorbed by what he was reading.
“Alfred said you should stay like this for ten minutes before trying to stand up or you might lose consciousness again,” explained his father, and Jason groaned. He wanted to go back inside and take a long nap, but he trusted Alfred’s judgment enough to understand he had to obey if he wanted to feel better.
“Stay with me?” He whispered and Bruce shushed him gently: “Of course I’ll stay with you, son. What was your book about?”
Jason knew Bruce didn’t really mind about his book but was making him talk so he would stay awake until his body heat went back to a normal level, so he explained the storyline. He explained to his father why this book was so captivating as Bruce was fanning him. A dozen minutes later, Bruce helped his son up, and led him, almost carrying him inside of the manor. He took him to the bathroom and sat him in the bath. “Alright, Jay. You’re not going to like it, but we need to cool you down.” Jason nodded and closed his eyes as his father turned on the shower, letting the cold water stream down his body.
When Jason’s temperature was good enough for Bruce to stop worrying about it, they went to Bruce’s bed and the latter put his son under the covers as he was now shaking from the cold shower. “Alfred told me you might have a fever for the next day, but you’ll be fine. I’ll stay with you tonight, alright? You’re okay Jaylad, I’m taking care of you.”
+1
Jason was injured when he entered the Cave. He was alone, hurt and he needed someone to take care of him and to stitch him up, eventually.
He was so focused on his injuries that he completely forgot to deactivate the security system and he felt what seemed like an intense electric shock before passing out.
“...son,... Jay… Jason…”
It was really hard to focus, now. He couldn’t open his eyes, he couldn’t understand what was happening nor who was talking to him. Even though he doubted it was a good idea, he closed his eyes again and let the darkness make the pain disappear.
When he regained consciousness, his body was resting on something soft and warm. He wasn’t feeling any more pain and someone was petting his hair softly. He almost acted as if he was still asleep to keep receiving love and comfort without having to act as if it was annoying him, but someone might have nothing a change in his breath and mumbled: “Little Wing, you’re awake.”
Jason groaned and opened his eyes. Bruce was petting his hair, Dick was looking at him worriedly from a seat next to him, and Damian and Tim were sitting at the bottom of the bed, probably watching a movie on Tim’s laptop.
“There you are,” smiled his father, “you gave us quite a scare. You entered the Cave without disarming the security system and took a big electric shock. Alfred is making you soup, he’ll come back in an instant.”
Jason nodded, he couldn’t understand how the hell he just forgot the security system and traps that were protecting the Cave. But at least he had been healed and stitched up.
He closed back his eyes and let his brothers take care of him for the moment.
He might have fallen asleep because the next time he opened his eyes, Alfred was handing him a warm bowl of soup.
“Thanks, Al,” he mumbled and took the bowl in his hands.
The soup was warm and delicious, making him feel instantly better. The butler smiled at his appetite and checked gently on his injuries: “I don’t know how you did this, my boy, but these are quite severe cuts you have there. Try not to apply pressure on them for the next two days and you will be fine. Should I make your room for the night?”
“Yes.” Answered Bruce, Dick, Damian, and Tim at the same time.
“Can I give my opinion on this?” Jason dared to ask.
“No.”
“Alright…”
Alfred shouldn’t have made Jason’s room, because Jason spent his night in his father’s bed, curled up between Bruce and Dick. The older was reading a book to his sons, as Dick and Jason were snoring softly. Jason’s head was resting on Bruce’s torso and Dick was hugging his younger brother with his whole body as if he was scared that Jason would run away in the morning.
Being a parent was having to worry about his children all the time. But Bruce would give everything to live in this moment forever, his sons deeply asleep, Tim and Damian watching movies in the living room, and knowing that his family was safe and sound.