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Jason always hated fighting Poison Ivy.
Even when he was Robin, he only found her evil schemes to be extremely irritating. A good cause, sure, but it was just so much hassle. Her plants would cause a lot of destruction, disrupting people’s lives whilst roads and buildings were repaired. A lot of her plants also had stinging properties, which he would feel for days after if they managed contact. And, worst of all, is whatever spores she would choose to use.
Jason’s been up against all sorts. Pollens that paralyse, pollens that make you fall asleep, mind-controlling pollen. You name it, he’s probably come up against it before. He was certain he had faced every type of pollen she could possibly throw at him.
Well, until tonight that is.
It was meant to be a simple recon mission. Just getting some information about what she was getting up to, if she was planning any attacks on Gotham. The bat family had received an anonymous tip that she was frequenting a warehouse close to Crime Alley. Jason decided he would handle it.
He snuck in through one of the warehouse’s skylights, and remained crouched on the upper levels whilst Ivy was working down below. She spoke to her plants as she busied herself with whatever it was she was doing. Then, she turned to her workbench and sat down to start tinkering with something. Jason couldn’t see from his angle, so he decided to move to try and get a glance at what she was doing.
Unfortunately for Jason, it was pitch fucking black at the top of the warehouse, so he entirely missed a very loose floorboard, causing him to fall straight down-
“Shit!”
-a few feet away from Ivy’s work bench.
Jason tried to save his fall with a roll, but his arm still took quite a lot of impact. He groaned as he quickly pushed himself up off the floor, grabbing his gun and moving to a defensive stance.
“Red Hood. Aren’t you an interesting one.”
Jason, really not wanting to deal with her, huffs.
“Look, I’m busy. So long as you ain’t causin’ trouble, I’mma head out.”
Ivy hums.
“Trouble? Me? Never. No, I’m just tending to my sweet little ones. But they don’t take kindly to being startled.”
“Wha-”
Jason doesn’t get to finish the thought before a plant he hadn’t noticed behind him releases a puff of pollen all over him. He had installed an air filter in his mask for exactly this sort of purpose, but it seems to be malfunctioning, or the pollen is too refined to be caught by the filter. He smells something sickly sweet, like an artificial chocolate that has been left outside in the sun for too long. It makes him want to throw up, but he resists the urge.
He can see the pollen hovering in a faint cloud around him, baby pink in colour. He can’t recall ever having come across this kind of pollen before. It must be a new one Ivy was working on.
Whilst he’s trying to not inhale too much of the pollen, Ivy starts walking out of the warehouse.
“Have fun with this one, Red. I don’t think I’ll be seeing you any time soon.”
Jason tries to analyse her words for a hint about what the pollen might be, but he feels his head getting a little fuzzy, and decides its better to just get the fuck out of there. Before he does, he reaches into his belt for a little swab he had on him, initially planning to take a sample of any carnivorous plants Ivy might have been growing. Now, he can use it to take back to the bat cave and figure out what the hell he’s been hit with. He grabs the sample and turns on his comm.
“I’ve been hit with a new pollen. I’ll be at the cave in five with a sample.”
Tim gives confirmation over the comms, saying he’ll get the computers ready to analyse the sample. So, Jason starts moving. At the very least, the pollen doesn’t seem to be slowing him down or making him feel sluggish. He just feels… tingly? It's hard to think clearly, but he knows the way to the batcave so well he doesn’t really need to think about where he’s going. He’s just using muscle memory.
As he keeps going, he begins to notice other symptoms. For one, he’s suddenly gone really cold. Gotham nights are always rather nippy, but this feels like he’s been hunting down Mr Freeze rather than just a bit of wind blowing his way. He’s fighting off shivers as he runs, the exercise not seeming to warm him up at all. There’s also a slight ache in his body, but there has been since he… returned. It isn’t anything new, but it’s becoming more noticeable by the second.
He really hopes he can get an antidote for this quickly.
When he reaches the batcave, he is met with not only Tim, but also Dick and Bruce. If he had to guess, the two had been patrolling when he radioed in, looking slightly out of breath. Not that they needed to come back as far as Jason was concerned. But of course, Batman does what he wants doesn’t he. By this point, Jason really isn’t able to think of much, moving almost on autopilot. He heads over to the batcomputer where Tim is at and decides to keep his sentences short and to the point.
“Sample.”
He grabs the little test tube with his swab and hands it to Tim, who puts it into some kind of machine that starts analysing it.
“Symptoms.”
Jason rolls his eyes at Bruce’s command, before taking off his helmet and setting both the helmet and his guns down on the desk in front of the computer. He’s going to need to clean out the filter to make sure this pollen isn’t lingering in there. In turn, Bruce takes off his cowl, and Dick his domino mask.
“C-Cold, brain fog. That’s it.”
“It could be a slow-acting pollen. It’s probably safer if you stay here tonight, littlewing-”
“Yeah, not happening.”
“We need a blood sample. Come.”
Bruce starts moving towards the med-bay, and Jason is about to follow him, until Tim’s voice calls out.
“Jason, I thought you said this was new?”
Jason turns to Tim and glares. He can feel that his shivering is lessening the usual impact of his looks on the kid, but he’s not too bothered by that fact at this point in time.
“I’ve never seen it.”
Tim shrugs.
“She’s had it a while.”
“Great, so antidote?”
Tim’s brow furrows, a strange look on his face that Jason can’t quite make out. It looks awkward. Tim turns to Bruce.
“So… you wanna explain this one?”
Bruce’s expression doesn’t change, remaining that same, frustrating neutral it always does. But he does blink a few times before responding.
“Which pollen is it?”
Tim simply points to the screen, which causes Bruce to move over and look for himself. Jason glances at the screen, but his brain has become so foggy that he doesn’t really understand what he’s seeing. His vision is also beginning to blur a little, which he really doesn’t like. He holds his head as he tries to stay upright.
“Bruce. Antidote.”
Bruce curses, and Jason almost misses it, but his head whips up at that. It causes a sharp pain to go through his head, making him hiss. Bruce looks like he wants to reach out to him, but stops himself.
“Dick, go get blankets. Tim, tell Alfred.”
Bruce moves over until he is standing in front of Jason now. He speaks quietly, his voice barely louder than a whisper.
“Jason, Ivy’s pollen… we don’t have the antidote.”
Jason stares at Bruce like he’s speaking another language.
“...what…?”
Bruce’s face still doesn’t change, his expression blank. But something in his eyes unsettles Jason.
“It’s been a while since she’s used this pollen, and the last time she did, she hit so many people it drained our supplies. We don’t have everything we need to make it.”
Jason starts shivering violently now, dropping to his knees, wrapping his arms around himself. Bruce lowers himself to the floor as well.
“Bruce-”
“There… is an alternative.”
Jason looks at Bruce, registering the hesitance in his voice. Was he… why was he hesitating?
“Wh- what is it?”
Jason speaks through gritted teeth, trying to push through until Bruce tells him whatever this fucking alternative is so he can stop feeling so dam cold. When Bruce hesitates again, Jason hisses, struggling to get any more words out. Bruce squeezes his eyes shut when he speaks.
“Simply, it’s a cuddle pollen. You need physical contact. Being hugged, held. By another person.”
Jason groans as he no longer feels able to sit upright, laying on the floor. It takes him a minute to process what Bruce had actually said, but when he does-
“No.”
Jason sees his vision becoming clouded with green, and he squeezes them shut, trying to take a deep breath and keep the pit rage at bay. But it’s so difficult when he feels his heart pounding out of his chest, his body so cold it feels like it's burning. It’s at this point when Dick comes back with a massive pile of blankets, with which he hands Bruce half, and the two of them begin laying them over Jason. Or, more accurately, dropping them on Jason, as he almost growls whenever either of them get too close.
Jason burrows himself into the blankets, wrapping up every inch of himself he possibly can, desperate to feel just a little warmer. He vaguely hears Bruce and Dick whispering to each other, before Dick clears his throat.
“Jay, the blankets aren’t going to help very much. You really need-”
“No.”
Jason can’t remember the last time he had physical contact with someone he wasn’t beating up. The last time he was held, or hugged, or even had a gentle touch. He wasn’t sure he ever had. No one ever wanted to be gentle with him. He was either hated, or a threat, or a bargaining chip. He wasn’t made for kindness. And he couldn’t trust anybody to show him such affection. They would just hurt him in the end. Best not to let anyone get close.
“Jaylad, you need to listen to us. We aren’t going to be able to get an antidote for at least twenty-four hours, and that is far too long to let the pollen affect you. You need to let us-”
Jason feels the rage of the pit coursing through his veins, and he snarls at Bruce and Dick.
“I said no.”
Dick flinches back, but Bruce holds steady. He raises his hands in a placating gesture.
“Okay. We’ll figure something out. But you can’t stay here. It’s too cold in the cave. Alfred put a heater in your room.”
Bruce gets up and steps back from Jason, waiting for Jason to get up on his own. Dick’s hand twitches with the desire to reach out to his brother, but he knows better than to piss Jason off, especially when he’s in this kind of state. Jason groans and grumbles under his breath, but eventually does manage to push himself up off the floor, getting to his feet and stumbling towards the stairs to head into the manor.
When he finally makes it to his room, Jason almost falls through the door, using the last of his energy to throw himself onto the bed, yanking the blankets over him and burying himself once more. It seems Alfred also put extra blankets on the bed as well, and Jason revels in their softness, but grits his teeth at their lack of warmth.
He’s just so fucking cold.
Dick and Bruce grab the blankets that Jason dropped and follow him out of the cave and into the manor. They watch nervously as Jason staggers the entire way, tripping over his own feet and unable to walk in a straight line. It’s almost like he’s drunk. It takes a while, but they eventually make it to Jason’s room, where Jason promptly collapses into bed. Dick and Bruce throw the extra blankets on top of him, and Dick stands by the edge of the bed.
“Little wing, please. You don’t need to suffer like this.”
Jason’s response comes back muffled.
“I- I’ll… live.”
“Jason, you’re going to enter a state of hypothermia due to the pollen. That will kill you.”
Dick winces at Bruce’s harsh words, and looks back to the pile of blankets, barely about to make out Jason’s shape underneath. Jason doesn’t dignify him with a response.
“Even just holding hands with someone helps. You can hold my hand can’t you Jay?”
The growl that emits from the blanket pile is answer enough. Bruce puts a hand on Dick’s shoulder.
“Go. I’ll watch him.”
“Bruce-”
Bruce cuts him off with a squeeze to his shoulder, leaning in to whisper.
“If the pit madness gets to him, you won’t be strong enough to hold him off. I want you safe.”
Dick looks conflicted, his eyes flicking between Bruce and his brother. He takes a moment to decide, but ultimately sighs.
“Let me know if I can help.”
“I will, chum.”
Dick nods before heading out of the room, and Bruce watches his eldest leave, knowing his worry for his brother will weigh heavy on his shoulders. Shaking his head, Bruce walks around to Jason’s desk, pulling the chair out and setting it next to the bed, sitting himself down to watch over his son. Jason is shivering so violently now Bruce can see the blankets on top of him moving.
How much has Bruce missed for Jason to be this afraid of being touched? By his family no less? It breaks Bruce’s heart to see Jason this way. Of course, he knows the two of them have their differences. He knows he hasn’t always been kind. Bruce would never expect Jason to be open to affection from him. But he thought surely Jason would be open to that from his siblings.
His thoughts are interrupted by a knock at the door.
“Master Bruce?”
“Come in, Alfred.”
Alfred steps into the room, glancing at the pile on the bed.
“Master Jason.”
Jason makes a noise of acknowledgement, shifting under the blankets, but doesn’t say anything.
“Master Bruce, I brought you a change of clothes. It seems in all the chaos you have forgotten to change out of your suit.”
Bruce looks down and sees he is, in fact, still wearing the bat suit.
“Thank you, Alfred. Could you-?”
“I will wait with master Jason until you return.”
“Thanks Alfred.”
After taking the clothes from Alfred, he quickly ducks into the ensuite, changing out of the suit as fast as he possibly could. He didn’t want to be away from Jason a moment longer than necessary. But knowing Jason’s feelings towards Batman, Bruce hopes he might be a little more open to him as… just Bruce.
When he returns, Jason is crying out in pain.
“Jaylad?”
Bruce rushes over to the side of the bed, where Jason has poked his head out of the blanket pile. He’s gritting his teeth so hard Bruce is surprised they don’t shatter under the pressure. He sees the dangerous green swirling in Jason’s eyes.
“H-how… much… shit- longer?”
Bruce’s face softens.
“Jaylad… it won’t stop on its own. By the time we get the antidote, you’ll be…”
Bruce can’t bring himself to finish that sentence. Jason yells out once again, and Bruce has to physically move backwards to stop himself from reaching out to his son.
“Jason. Son. Please. You need to let us help you.”
Jason almost screams, both in frustration, pain, and fear.
Jason feels like he is being burnt alive, every inch of his skin searing and making him feel like he is melting. He wants it to stop. The last time he was in this level of pain was when he…
Hahahahahahahaha!
His laugh rings in Jason’s ears. Sharp and crystal clear. No, he can’t be back here. Surely not. But when he looks around, he indeed finds himself back in the warehouse. Dark, cold, alone.
He won’t die again. Not again. He’ll kill him this time. He starts scrambling, feeling something weighing him down. He begins kicking at the weight on top of him, pushing and shoving to break free. He will escape. He will live this time. He will live.
He moves despite the ache in his bones, broken and shattered from where Joker beat him. He will drag himself over to the door and get out of here. He won’t die like this again. Joker cannot win. He cannot win. His heart sinks when he realises the door is locked again.
And this time, he knows Bruce isn’t coming.
Bruce watches as Jason fights the blankets he is under, and his heart wrenches. Listens to Jason muttering under his breath, a repeated ‘no, no, no’. It's been about thirty minutes since Jason arrived in the cave. Longer since he reported initially on the comms that he was hit. Hypothermia can kill in less than an hour, and Jason is reaching his limit. It's this moment where Bruce makes a decision.
He will not let his son die again.
“Forgive me, Jason.”
Bruce stands, and starts pulling all the blankets off of him. Jason, in his confused state, sits up and starts moving forwards. Bruce uses the opportunity to sit on the bed behind Jason. He takes a deep breath, before lunging forward and wrapping his arms around his son, pulling him back so they’re both resting against the head board. He’s managed to trap Jason’s arms against his sides, and he holds on as tight as he possibly can without harming him.
Jason fights against him, thrashing violently. He manages to throw his head back and hit Bruce’s nose dead on, which causes Bruce to grunt in pain, but he doesn’t loosen his grip for a second. He doesn’t even try to wipe away the blood he feels trickling down his face. He just holds his son, holds him tight like he should have done before. Keep him safe like he should have done before. Hearing Jason weep and scream this way breaks his heart, but this is to save him. He would take a thousand hits to the face if it meant Jason would be okay. He would take more than that if it was for his son. He doesn’t know if Jason can hear him, but he starts whispering quiet reassurances.
“You’re safe.”
“You’ll be okay.”
“I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Jason lets out a primal, guttural roar, thrashing against the arms that snake around him and keep him trapped. His vision is entirely clouded with green. The arms wrapped around him scrape against his skin, scorching hot and excruciating. He kicks and twists, desperate to get free. He continues shrieking, overwhelmed with the level of agony he is in. He tries to free his arms, but when that proves futile, he throws his head back to try and hit the other person in the face.
Jason continues his defiance, losing his voice to his bellows and cries. He’s beginning to grow tired. So, so tired. He wants to give in. He doesn’t want to die. He wants to rest. He doesn’t want to suffer. He’s so conflicted and overwhelmed and he just wants it all to stop.
But somehow, despite all the noise, Jason hears a gentle whisper underneath all of the sensations screaming at him. Underneath the fiery agony, underneath the pit rage clawing and clutching at him, he hears a quiet whisper. It doesn’t say words, none that Jason can decipher anyway, but he hears it. It's… gentle.
It's something gentle.
It isn’t violent. It isn’t loud. It isn’t competing for or demanding his attention.
It’s simply there.
Quiet but constant. Quiet but strong. Quiet but there.
And Jason leans into it.
Leans into the peace. Leans into the quiet.
Leans into the gentle.
It doesn’t take away everything else. All of these other feelings are still screaming at him. He still burns, he still hurts. But now there is also something else. Something that doesn’t hurt. Something that is different to the constant agony and struggle he experiences.
It's a relief.
Bruce could cry with joy when Jason slumps in his arms. He’s still crying, can see the tears rolling down Jason’s cheeks, but his struggling has slowly come to a stop, and he gives in to the comfort. Bruce continues whispering to him the whole time.
“You’re doing so well, Jaylad. That’s it. Rest.”
He holds his son close, tracing soothing circles with his thumbs. He doesn’t ease his grip, but he allows himself to lean back into the headboard, pulling Jason with him. He re-arranges them until Jason is tucked into his side, putting Jason’s head on his shoulder, speaking softly the entire time. When Jason groans, Bruce holds his breath.
“Hm… dad?”
Bruce feels his heart stop for a moment.
Dad.
Jason just called him Dad.
Jason’s whimper pulls him out of his stupor, and he hushes his son.
“It’s me, Jaylad. I’m here. Dad’s got you. Sleep now.”
Jason sighs and settles into Bruce’s hold, and Bruce keeps holding him until Jason’s breathing has evened out as he falls asleep. He can’t remember the last time he saw his son look so… relaxed. Comfortable. Peaceful.
He swears he will make sure that Jason can have more of these moments in his life, so help him god.
Bruce lets himself exhale, only now loosening his hold ever so slightly, still not letting go of his son. He had a lot of lost time to make up for, after all. So, he settles into watching over Jason as he sleeps to make sure he’s okay.
Bruce doesn’t get a single second of sleep that night.
When Jason wakes, he feels warm.
So warm.
It’s the most soothing kind of warmth he’s felt in a long time. He shifts, and feels a solid weight next to him. It takes him a moment to process, but when he does-
“The fuck?!”
-he shoots up, but he is held in place by a strong pair of arms.
“Jay-”
“What- how-”
“Jaylad, breathe.”
Jason feels his breathing go haywire, and he tries to keep the oxygen in his lungs long enough to think straight.
“You’re safe here. Breathe with me.”
Jason closes his eyes, and tries to get his breathing under control. He can hear Bruce’s exaggerated breaths, and even though he hates himself for it, he does his best to copy Bruce’s rhythm, and is eventually able to calm himself down. When he’s ready, he opens his eyes and looks back at Bruce.
“What… happened?”
Bruce is looking at him again, but it's not with a neutral expression this time. If Jason didn’t know any better, he would say that Bruce looks… guilty?
“Bruce.”
“You were succumbing to the effects of Poison Ivy’s pollen. I had to help you.”
Jason’s brows furrow, before everything from the previous night hits him in a rush.
The pain.
The screaming.
The cold.
“Jaylad, I’m… I’m sorry. I couldn’t let you…”
Bruce doesn’t need to finish that sentence. They both know how it ends.
Jason takes a moment to process it all. The fear. The betrayal. The… comfort.
Jason was certain he would have rather died again than accept affection. Trust someone to hold him and not hurt him. To actually want to show him kindness rather than neutralise him.
But… now he’s experienced it…
He’s not so sure.
In a move that surprises both of them, Jason lets himself lay back down in Bruce’s hold.
“Just… five more minutes.”
Jason’s voice breaks when he speaks, and he closes his eyes to try and hold back the tears. He holds his breath for a moment, fearful of Bruce’s reply.
“As long as you want, Jaylad. As long as you want.”
Jason exhales, and sinks into Bruce’s arms.
And lets himself be a kid being held by his dad for five more minutes.